https://www.cluas.com/indie-music RSS feeds for CLUAS Irish Indie Music 60 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/561/Easy-Star-All-Stars#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=561 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=561&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/561/Easy-Star-All-Stars When Easy Star records set out to release a reggae adaptation of Dark side of the moon in 2003, they were faced with the perilous task of staying true to the original while taking the music in a whole new direction. With musical director Michael Goldwasser at the helm, the label went in search of a supporting cast strong enough to undertake such an ambitious project. Drafting some of the finest musicians the New York scene had to offer, they created a dream team of modern reggae; the Easy Star All Stars. The album has remained on the Billboard reggae charts ever since. In the eight years that followed, the band have released seminal versions of Radiohead’s Ok Computer and The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band; garnering praise from fans and critics alike. And now with the release of First Light, their first full-length original album, the band are ready to show the world that there’s more to the Easy Star All Stars than trips down nostalgia lane. State caught up with the band before their performance in Cork city to talk about their past, present and future. What inspired you to join Easy Star All Stars? Ras: It wasn’t really a question of inspiration; it was more of an opportunity. You know, we were all in New York, and the label was based in New York. The inspiration is more of question of how we made the music; that’s through Jah himself. But with the band, that was just a wonderful opportunity to come and expand on what we already had in the reggae scene. Easy Star has been the vehicle for us to express ourselves for the last 8 years. I would say it’s just like when you get a good job. Every job has its beginning and its end. Do you think there will be a time when the Easy Star All Stars will be no more? Ras: Well no, I think there’s always going to be ‘An’ Easy Star All Stars; it just might be a different rotation of cast members. I think they set it up for it to be that way; no matter who’s there and who’s not, there is always going to be an Easy Star All Stars. Each member could pass it on to their grandchildren and it’ll still be the Easy Star All Stars. We’re just passing through; as the present line up. Following the success of your first three concept albums, what made you decide to produce a full length original album? Ras: It was time. We’d done the concept albums and they did quite well. They got us a lot of exposure and earned us a lot of fans, who probably wouldn’t have ever listened to reggae, but they love Pink Floyd, they love the Beatles, they love Radiohead, so they wanted to know what they sounded like as reggae. The concept albums gave us the opportunity to reach a wider audience with our own music.   Menny: It’s like the world’s expectation of us, you know, we’ve proven we can cover these albums in an original kind of way, so we also have to show the world our originality. Ivan: We’ve spent the last eight years touring together so we wanted to create some music of our own. We’ve always had a policy to have a couple of original tunes in the set, so people weren’t just hearing those albums but getting a taste of the people on stage as well. So as the original songs became a bigger collection, Michael G said ‘let’s do a full-length’ album. Was it difficult to arrange the album into a cohesive unit or did it come naturally? Ivan: That’s where Michael G comes in. He’s the executive producer so he makes those decisions. It was kinda fun this time cos they made it sorta like a competition, they said ‘alright you have this amount of time to submit any demos you want, we’ll listen to everything’. There was definitely way more songs submitted than what made it on the record and he had to figure out what we were going to put out as a band. It’s not always about whether it’s a good song or not it’s just about creating the right combination of songs. There’s actually a couple of songs on there from the Israeli part of Easy Star All Stars. Michael G spends a bit of time in Israel. He’s got a collective of musicians he works with out there so they put a couple of those tunes on there. He wanted the majority of it to be the touring band but he wanted to throw that flavour in there too. The album title First Light is quite evocative. What does the album title mean to you? Ras: It’s not one dimension at all as you can tell; I think it takes on a different meaning every time we perform it. At one point, it can just mean ‘hey good morning, get up its first light’, you know or it could mean the dawn of a new era, the dawn of a new age, the dawn of a new generation; it’s timeless, it’s endless, it’s infinite. The songwriters who wrote the song “First Light”, wrote it as a tribute to the first tour that we did way back in 2003, and that’s what really inspired the lyrical content; we were just retelling the story of how we experienced the first tour. It was like the dawn of a new vibe; being on the road together for the first time and performing “Dub side” live for the first time anywhere. First Light is there to recapture those moments; those first days. But as you can tell, the album takes on a lot more meaning than that. While First Light is predominantly reggae in style, there are hints of motown and soul in some of the songs. Were these influences subconscious or did you want to expand on the band’s sound on this album? Menny: To be quite honest, reggae itself is based on that kind of vibe; you’ll hear every type of music in reggae, it’s always been that way. Bob Marley did it, Denis Brown did it, you name any great reggae artist, and you can hear that soul influence; they’re all connected. As they say in Jamaica, fingers can’t rock, you know what I mean; music can’t be mathematics. You’re gonna hear certain vibes in certain things, but we don’t think about it that way; we just let it flow. Ivan: The foundation of the band will always be reggae but it’s fun to touch on other styles. Reggae itself is a mix of African, Caribbean & soul influences. And before reggae, there was ska in the 60s. From what I understand, those ska musicians in Jamaica were listening to soul & jazz records coming off the radio from Miami and they combined them with Caribbean rhythms. There’s a story about how reggae was supposedly invented in the summer of 1968. It was an unusually hot summer in Jamaica so they slowed the ska tempos down and there came that reg-gae reg-gae rhythm; that’s what I heard. I’d love to hear Toots’ take on that. I love that story. Has it been more rewarding touring in support of First Light than your previous albums? Menny: It’s all great; everything has its own respect. With the originals, we definitely feel it more, cos that’s our own material; we wrote it and recorded it, so then we feel it while performing it. It’s a different sort of vibe singing the Pink Floyd material cos the people already know it and sing along to it; but it’s just as rewarding. Have there been particular gigs that stand out as being the most memorable for you as a band? Jennifer: Definitely Glastonbury. We played three days there and each day we played a different album. The first day, we played Dub side in the dance tent; the second afternoon was Radiodread and then the third day we played Sgt. Pepper. Menny: Yeah, Glastonbury has always been at the top of the list, no band has ever played three nights in a row before. On one stage, we were on at like 10 or 11am and there were thousands of people there for it cos they didn’t want to miss it. It was great to see people waking up early to see us, after acts like Bruce Springsteen the night before. They should have all been asleep... until at least 3pm! What are your favourite songs to perform? Ras: As of now, definitely the First Light material. The more we do it, the more it evolves; you feel ownership you know. Doing the concept stuff has been great, but I’m feeling it personally every night when we perform the First Light material. It becomes more and more a part of us. If I had to choose one song out of the new album, it would be “Something went wrong”. The people really get it, like they’re not just listening but they’re actually getting what the song is saying. How has the new album been received on this tour? Ras: We’ve had a few nice reviews, but even the greatest artists had their critics. You know guys like Elton John got bad reviews for songs they’d written, so we’ve got the full gambit I’m not going lie. We get some saying ‘the shit is whack’ and they hate it, and then on the other side there are those who love it. We know that’s just how it is when you’re put under the litmus test. For the most part, it’s been good. Menny: It was surprising for me when people already knew the songs. I’m singing songs like “Something went wrong” and I see their lips moving to the words, and I’m thinking ‘damn these songs are so new’ and to see them singing it, that shows me that Easy Star are doing a good job in terms of spreading this new material, and it also shows me that we’ve written songs that the people enjoy enough to sing along to. What albums have inspired you in the past? Ras: Bob Marley’s Uprising really did it for me. I heard Uprising and here I am today; that was my life-changing moment. Menny: Well, there have been a lot of them but Gregory Isaac’s Night Nurse was definitely one of them; that was one my mother bought; she was the one that would buy all the records. I would break needles every day playing those songs.  What have been your biggest challenges as a band? Ras: I’d say just remaining true to the music; that’s always the biggest challenge. You know, the more popular you get, you’re always tempted to lose yourself and get lost in trying to please everyone. You can lose that certainty in yourself. So I think the greatest challenge is staying grounded. Jennifer: Keeping it fresh, you don’t want to play a boring show or play the music the same way every night; you’ve got to always bring something new to it every night. Ivan: It’s important that you deliver every night but you’re not always going to have the perfect conditions. Sometimes you know it’s just the luck of the draw. Yesterday we played in Dublin and the sound out front was great but there was a problem with the monitors on stage. In this business you can’t let stuff like that stop you. We could’ve spent the whole time trying to get it sorted out but we realised we gotta just play. Easy Star All Stars were interviewed by John Ryan John Ryan Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:03:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:561 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/560/Kristin-Hersh-An-Unquiet-Mind#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=560 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=560&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/560/Kristin-Hersh-An-Unquiet-Mind Kristin Hersh is reminiscing about her early tours with the Throwing Muses, the influential art-rock band she formed as a teenager in the early eighties with her stepsister Tanya Donnelly. The Pixies were their opening act. ‘Yeah, they were always our support act when we went out on tour’ she tells me, down the line from her home in Laguna Beach, California. ‘We brought them with us because we didn’t want to be alone. We brought them to 4AD too because we didn’t want to alone on the label there either with all those English bands that were so pretty, gauzy and ethereal and we knew we were nothing like that!’ she remembers, laughing ‘The Pixies just kept us from being lonely’. Throwing Muses, along with Sonic Youth and the aforementioned Pixies, were key figures in the alternative rock scene in the US in the eighties and nineties, and paved the way for Nirvana and the alt-rock explosion that followed. Yet, Hersh is not one for looking back or resting on her laurels, in fact Throwing Muses never officially split up and are hoping to release a new album soon. The mother of four has written and recorded almost twenty albums in her career to date, with Throwing Muses, as a solo-artist and with her loud, art-punk side-project 50 Foot Wave. To say Hersh is prolific sounds like an understatement. ‘Well, I’m just riddled with songs! I could make a record a week!’ she declares, bursting into that wonderful laugh once again that peppers the conversation. Hersh is a delightful interviewee; she’s articulate, light-hearted and down-to earth, at odds with the haunting intensity of her songs and their sometimes stark lyrical observations. She has spoken openly of her bipolar disorder and has described in the past her singular creative process whereby, rather that hearing a melody, or a snippet of a melody, that is then worked on laboriously until a full song is constructed, she can ‘hear’ songs already composed in her head, complete with somewhat incoherent lyrics. This would go some way to explain the huge body of work she has already accumulated in her career to date. ‘I don’t really know whether that was the bipolar disorder or the bad car accident I was in when I was teenager’ she says ‘I had a double-concussion, I was in a wheelchair for a long time and I started hearing songs then but I had written songs before that. I already had the craft down but there was no real magic to the material so now it’s a combination of hearing the songs but not bringing any of my personal baggage into it’ she explains ‘The songs are about my life - they’re my life stories and my pictures - but they don’t seem to be coming from me. They’re not really what I would choose to say, that can cause problems, it can be awfully embarrassing’ admits Hersh. ‘I sort of have to remain true to what they want to get said but at the same time keeping myself out of the process’. So the songs are fully formed already, simply leaving you with the task of recording them? ‘Yes, but there is a certain amount of wrestling I must do to make sure I’m playing them right and hearing the lyrics right’ reveals Hersh ‘I can’t always understand the words. The lyrics are always the part I wrestle with but the music has always been very clear. I can play it; I never heard a song I couldn’t play. But words are tricky; you don’t want to ever lie. You just have to careful about them. In writing about it, in the book last year ('Paradoxical Undressing', a memoir she wrote which details the early years of Throwing Muses), I started to analyse it more than I ever wanted to. Perhaps to reduce it to a concussion seems minimising but I really believe that they are there, that they are real but I choose not to think of it as an illness’. Hersh plays a solo show in Dublin this month and, at the time of writing, a Throwing Muses tour has just been announced, which will see Kristin return to Dublin with her old band in November. With so much music, and the tours to promote it, Hersh unsurprisingly spends a lot of time on the road. But she’s never been comfortable as a performer ‘I’m very shy so performance doesn’t really come naturally to me' she admits 'When I’m playing, it doesn’t really feel like I’m there at all and that’s okay but the whole idea of putting yourself in front of a bunch of people and making them look at you? I just don’t have that gene, that type of drive. Yet I know the type of high, that energy coming back to you (from the audience) and I’m sort of addicted to that. I also like the simplicity of the lifestyle. It teaches you what you need as opposed to what you want. It’s like a religion and I get to practice my religion for a few hours every day’. Almost inevitably, Dublin is one her favourite places to play but Hersh offers a refreshingly cerebral explanation as to why that is. ‘You know, it’s just never disappointing. It has this…focused intelligence. Dublin is a city that is very musically aware, psychologically vibrant and very alive’ she says ‘It implies a musical fluency, music is a language and not everyone is fluent in it and in Ireland a lot of people are. It’s something you’re born with, I guess.’ I put it to her that this innate musicality may be born of our turbulent historical past, a post-colonial inferiority complex and the inclement weather ‘Absolutely but then it’s not like Russia because there is a sense of humour that infuses every conversation, every response. That’s hugely important as it means you have grasped drama and not melodrama’. As if Hersh wasn’t busy enough releasing a new album almost on a yearly basis, she also co-founded the CASH project as an alternative method for up-and-coming musicians to distribute their music and finance themselves. According the site, the ‘goal is to help artists find sustainability and to encourage innovation in the music industry’. An earlier version of the project saw Hersh upload an EP of her side-project 50 Foot Wave and then allowed fans to download it for free, a few years before Radiohead were lauded (and castigated) for doing the same thing ‘I started CASH (Coalition of Artists and Stakeholders) project as a non-profit with some friends a few years ago to provide software tools which would allow musicians to circumvent the traditional recording industry’ she says ‘Which means that musicians no longer have to have a middleman to judge the marketability of their product. It’s a problem I’ve been trying to solve in my life since I was 14 years old. CASH has allowed me to be listener-supported which means my sponsors are actually my audience. Finally, after all these years, I can be in this industry and nobody is asking me to dumb down what I do’. An interesting facet of CASH is that fans can, not only support the artist in monetary terms, but can also gain an insight into the creative process by joining Hersh or one of the other artists involved in the studio ‘Yeah, the initial subscription was 30 dollars a month for access to any of my shows and you get the record for nothing. Eventually we realised people just wanted the music to happen and we introduced different platforms’ she says ‘That was a successful one but I wasn’t sure I would be comfortable. I’m sort of lost in that world when I’m working so I thought it would be uncomfortable but they add an energy to the room that I didn’t expect. It’s like a keyhole-view into our world' she continues 'Sometimes, they even seem to have ideas for songs!! I’m honoured that anyone would want to do that. To see them re-mixing the music on the site, downloading new songs every month, helping to name the new record, buying the last album ‘Crooked’ even though it was in book-form – I’m just honoured’. Hersh is returning to her rock roots with a new Throwing Muses album but a release-date is yet to be confirmed. ‘I’m still trying to raise money to mix it. Recording is done and we’d just like to be able to mix it. I can’t wait for you to hear this record as I swear it’s the best one we ever made!’ she says, with genuine enthusiasm. ‘A lot of the songs are really short but it’s a really cool piece. I’m really excited about it; we’re just hoping to mix it, as it’s very special in my opinion. The Muses are just very special me’. Interview by Ken Fallon Kristin Hersh plays a solo acoustic show at Dublin’s Workman’s Club on 24 August 2011. Ken Fallon Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:38:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:560 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/554/Skully#Comments 2 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=554 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=554&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/554/Skully A talented innovator who forged a very successful international musical career, the acclaimed Cork-born musician and producer known simply as Skully has been exceptionally busy of late. With two of his songs included on the soundtrack for the new Hollywood film Soul Surfer (2011) and the release of his new solo album earlier this month, Skully (left) is now preparing to reprise his role as part of the successful Cork-based musical duo Métisse and work on their as yet untitled third album. Discussing his new solo album entitled Scent Of A Moment (2011), Skully admits that the inspiration for his second record was triggered by unusual stimuli. “Each song on Scent Of A Moment is about a moment in my life. There are songs on it about lost love, the economic climate in Ireland today, friends, relationships and history. Every song comes down to one moment that I remember because of a particular smell that I associate with that moment.” Based in the County Cork seaside town of Crosshaven, Skully also drew creative inspiration from restoration work that he did on a voluntary basis at the historical site of Fort Camden in Crosshaven, which had fallen derelict after years of neglect by the authorities. Together with a fellow volunteer called Vincent Farr, Skully embarked on many days of hard-work for no pay and is delighted to have been involved in such a worthwhile project, that for him, yielded creative dividends. Before being forced to withdraw from the project in the Autumn of last year, Skully enjoyed his working holiday from recording commitments, which are now taking centre stage once again. “Up until we finished back in September of 2010, Vincent and I devoted every free moment of our days to renovating Fort Camden. Vincent and I founded ‘The Rescue Camden Group,’ with the sole goal of restoring the fort on a not-for-profit basis, for the entire local community. Under Vincent’s guidance and as part of a team of hard-working volunteers, I went into the fort and painted, scrubbed and panel-beat. On Scent Of A Moment, there is a piece of music that tries to bring you on a trip through Fort Camden.” “From time to time, I will be putting up the meanings behind some of the songs on my website [www.skully.ie]. At the moment, there is a blog up about the track Mrs Noble. She was a woman who was murdered in West Cork in the early part of the 20th century and this track was inspired by her story and is a tribute to her.” An interesting dimension to the physical release of Scent Of A Moment is the fact that each copy will have an accompanying aroma. “In keeping with the record’s name, we are spraying the albums with different aromas such as coffee and aftershave. Not only does it look nice, but it also smells nice.” Now as he gears up to work on the new Métisse record, Skully reveals his future plans: “We are buying a new recording studio at the moment and we want to make the studio more portable. Once I have settled on the equipment that we need, Aïda [vocalist with Métisse] can come with me and record in West Cork and in Cobh and different places. So it will also affect the music that we are recording. We have finished recording four tracks together already and we are very pleased with the results. So hopefully by the end of this year, that album will be out.” For more information on Skully and his upcoming releases, visit his website: www.skully.ie. Scent Of A Moment was released on June 1 and is now available on CD and as a download release. Mark McAvoy Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:10:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:554 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/39/Sister-Cities#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=39 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=39&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/39/Sister-Cities Hailing from Tempe, Arizona, Sister Cities have just released their excellent debut single ‘White Dress’ on this side of the Atlantic with UK label 100% Music. Consisting of Brett (guitar and vocals), Courtney (drums and vocals), Spike (bass and vocals) and Ana (keys, guitar and vocals), they took some time out recently to tell Ken Fallon about how it all came together… Tell us a little about how you got together as a band? Were you friends beforehand? We all went to high school together and always had music as a common interest, we played as a two piece (drums/guitar/vocals) before adding bass and keys. We met Ana while on vacation in Mexico and somehow convinced her to move to Arizona and join the band!    How has your music evolved since you first got together as a band? The evolution of our sound has been sort of a natural progression. We started out in Courtney's garage just trying to play anything that sounded good together, and over time we fell into a niche of our own. Now when we write songs we know what we want to hear. We are always trying to push the limits of our sound.   Could you reveal a little about the creative process? Is there one specific songwriter or do you collaborate on the songs? Our songwriting process starts with one idea…it could be anything. It could be any instrument, or even just a word. Once we all agree on something, we develop it further as a group. This is our favorite part of being in a band - just taking a simple idea and creating something we can be proud of.   What are your influences? How would you describe your music? There are so many great bands coming out nowadays (that) being a part of this time in music is inspiring in itself. Bands are doing whatever they want, no boundaries. But as far as bands that inspired us to start playing together… The Strokes, Delta Spirit, Cold War Kids, The Raveonettes, Zoe, etc…If we were to classify ourselves in a made - up genre, it would have to be "Noise/Garage-Pop". But don't quote us on that - (even though it’s in quotations!).   Could you tell us a little about the music you have released to date? I read that your debut album is a combination of your first two EPs? We've released two EPs ourselves, one of which will be included in our upcoming full length. The first EP is a representation of the early stages of our band, we feel the newer songs are a better representation of where we're going with our sound.   What’s the music scene like in your hometown of Tempe, Arizona? Are you tempted to move to LA or New York to develop as a band? We are friends with some great local bands. There's also some awesome venue owners and promoters who really care about the music community and want to see it grow. There are some bands that are too cool for school…but for the most part - good people, good music. We'd love to move anywhere, just for a change of location. We're in no big hurry.   You recently signed to UK label 100% music. Do you have plans to create a stronger presence in the UK and Ireland and beyond? Any plans for a tour over here? Absolutely! We feel so honored for the opportunity of people in Europe to hear our music! We would love to tour out there but first we want to put the final touches on this album.   Your manager Keith was in a successful Irish band in the 90s (Power of Dreams). His experience in the music industry must be a huge help to you as a young  band starting out? We've become close friends with Keith - he's a great person and a huge help to us. Thanks, Keith!   Sister Cities were interviewed by Ken Fallon For more info on the band check out Sister Cities website. More ... Ken Fallon Sat, 02 Oct 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:39 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/40/CODES#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=40 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=40&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/40/CODES With blood pouring from her face, a girl stumbles into the surging crowd at a Christmas light’s fundraiser in a dingy pub in Ireland. Yes, that’s right. A fundraiser for Christmas lights. Surrounded by hundreds in fancy dress, neither the band on stage or the sweaty crowd took a second glance at the screaming girl. But she wasn’t reenacting the final scene from Carrie like the band thought, she had slipped, glassed herself and blended in with the rest of Freddy Krueger’s victims. “Nobody knew if she was for real or fake”, laughs singer Daragh. Fast forward two years, and CODES have graduated from playing to the meager and slightly bloody crowds of the dilapidated pubs of Meath, to the 11,000 strong crowds of The O2 in the capital. The four-piece, who formed in 2007 have had a pretty quick rise in popularity. Within the space of a few months, the indie-electronic group had two singles in The Irish Top 40, played a set at Oxegen and were asked to support Keane on the Irish leg of their “Perfect Symmetry” tour. Recalling their first experience of performing in front of thousands of people, piano-player Ray says they, “took to it like a fish to water.” Presuming he meant to say duck to water, bassist Eoin was quick to correct him. “Eh no, I’m on about those aquatic lake fish,” Ray retorts. And so, we swiftly move on.The guys who comprise CODES are as follows: Daragh – the songwriting lead who’s faux-falsetto chords are reminiscent of Matt Bellamy; Eoin – the baby-faced funny-man in charge of the bass; Paul – the straight-faced drummer who is either the silent brooding type, or just severely hungover on the day I met him; and Ray – the Hanson-loving pianist with a slight obsession with The Saturdays.“We met them once. We met their entourage keeping us away.” Smooth. With Ray hailing from the barren lands of Sligo and Eoin and Daragh from South Dublin, they are the self-proclaimed Indie Westlife, “they’ve got ones from Dublin and ones from Sligo.” After signing a record deal with E.M.I Records in May 2009 which the lads just about remember - “I don’t recall getting home that night”, laughed Ray - they were desperate not to let their new bosses see that when it came to a spot of drinking, they were Irish through and through. “We didn’t want them to see us really drunk on the first day, although we wanted to set a benchmark. Unfortunately, they failed miserably. “At least we’re told we went out that night!”, says Daragh. Their debut album, Trees Dream in Algebra is a winter-inspired collection of tracks recorded with Manic Street Preacher’s producer Greg Haver. Perched on the top of a snow-covered mountain, their album cover ties in with the minimalist music created by the quartet. Was it taken in Scandinavia? No. Greenland? No. Antarctica? No. “It’s in the Wicklow Mountains actually.” Well, that’s not very rock-star-like. “The budget wouldn’t allow. We’re not 30 Seconds To Mars,” laughs Daragh. Getting stuck in a lift with Vinnie Jones, eating breakfast with their idols The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s and insulting the bloke with the sunglasses from The Ting Tings, are only a few of the band’s Oxegen tales. “It was the guy from The Ting Tings who said he always wore his sunglasses because of a dodgy eye. I was talking about them and they were sitting right behind me,” says a red-faced Eoin. Insults aside, this year will be the third time the band will play at Ireland’s largest music festival as well as fourteen other festivals – and that’s just the Irish ones. “It’s a busy Summer for us. It’s good to be busy though. That’s what we always wanted to do, we just wanted to play every festival there is because we were all festival goers when we were younger.” Surrounded by huge artists at Oxegen, the lads are sure to get a tad star struck. Or maybe not. “I don’t think we’re the kind of people that get star struck,” ponders Ray. “I think if I met Thom Yorke I’d be a little overwhelmed, but I don’t know. I don’t think we’re the type of people to go up to someone and say, ‘Aw I know you!’, except Tom Dunne!”, laughs Daragh. Asking them why they’d get star struck after meeting an Irish news broadcaster is not even worth it. Admitting that Kelly Clarkson, Hanson, Paolo Nutini and wait for it, the whole Doctor Who soundtrack are on repeat on their ipods, these black-loving, skinny-jean wearing rockers are not as hard-core as they’d like us to think. “They’re good pop songs!”, Eoin replies when the topic of Girls Aloud arises. Before they completely destroy their reputations, the boys mention Metric, a band in the US they’ve been listening to flat-out lately and Northern Irish band, And So I Watch You From Afar. “There’s lots of classical stuff too, like Steve Reich and Philip Glass who we’re going to see in concert in a couple of weeks,” says Ray. “I really love that BBC Orchestra stuff. It’s minimalist and dark sci-fi music with crazy pianos and marching sounds.” Drawing comparisons to Muse, Coldplay and Keane, the foursome are happy to be compared to such established bands. “We just did what felt natural to us and what came along at the time and because of that, any comparison is flattering to us, especially when people say Keane. Keane are like a huge stadium rock band and we’re just a band from Ireland who haven’t done much stuff outside our own country. To be compared instantly to them is complimentary!”, enthuses Daragh. “It’s much better to be compared to someone like that than someone rubbish,” Ray butts in. And who may they be talking about, you ask? A Flock of Seagulls, a-ha and The National are just a few of the “really weird ones”. “I remember someone saying we sounded like The National. That’s like taking chalk and cheese and saying these two things are similar,” says Ray. With a name like CODES, it would be a bit disappointing if there was a lack of mystery amongst the band. But have no fear. If you happen to be a fan on Facebook or one of their many followers on Twitter, you will be familiar with their cryptic status updates and their impossible riddles. “It’s just a way of keeping people interested and having a laugh with people. I think all of our favourite bands have that sort of aspect where there’s a lot more underneath the surface than just the things you take for granted,” says Eoin. “So instead of us writing up, ‘today we had chips..’ , we’ll do it in a way that’s fun and people might be a little more into it.” If the lads weren’t sky-rocketing ahead in the music business, Ray sees himself doing a Ross Gellar and becoming a paleontologist. Unbeknown to the rest of the band, he insists that digging up dinosaurs is his fall-back plan. “I’m working on the beard. All I need is the checkered shirt.” “I’d like to think I’d be a sculptor or something mental,” Daragh coos. Perhaps he’s watched Ghost a few too many times. Thankfully, the guys might be able to forget about those plan-B careers after the flawless album they’ve produced. With theatrical, orchestral tunes like “Our Mysteries”, it’s easy to see where the Muse comparisons are coming from. “Telos”, a stunning instrumental worthy of Sigur Ross, the crowd sing-a-longs “Starry Eyed” and “You Are Here” and the opener “Malfunctions”, are just a few of the many tracks that prove Trees Dream In Algebra is an epic record that is scarily near-perfect for a debut album. They may be set for international success, but don’t expect any sympathy from CODES if you glass yourself at their next gig. They won’t believe you. Kerrie Donnelly More ... Host Account Fri, 28 May 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:40 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/41/The-Ambience-Affair#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=41 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=41&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/41/The-Ambience-Affair Give us a bit of background to The Ambience Affair to this point. We met two years ago in a music shop in Dublin. I had been playing solo for about a year previous to that.I felt there was a need for something extra as the songs weren't progressing in a way that I wanted. I invited Marc to one of my solo gigs and we soon decided to form the band. Have there been any particularly memorably highs and lows thus far? High points would probably be some of the gigs we've been lucky to play. Our last EP launch tour was one filled with great moments. I think we've been very fortunate to not have had many lows at all so far. Sure, we've played the odd awful gig or two but in general, I can't think of much that made me question being in the band. Your stripped-down set of live self-sampling and looping have drawn many comparisons to pioneers like Owen Pallet. Do you think you draw a lot of influence from him and similar artists? I think that although we do an aesthetically similar thing, Owen Pallet is an entirely different songwriter and musician. It is true that he was one of the first musicians who showed me the capabilities of a loop-station, but I'd like to think we've applied our own unique take on using one as a songwriting tool. You released the excellent Patterns EP earlier this year. Who did you work with in producing it? Or did you go the fully independent route and do it all yourself? We've assembled a team of fairly gifted people around us which I think has helped us alot along the way. From the artwork done by Alex Synge to working with producer Ian McNulty, it's all been a team effort to get a quality record into people's hands. As we're currently not signed to any label, we released it independently. Were there any pleasant or unpleasant surprises along the way, from recording to releasing? Are you happy with its reception so far? The reception has been great. It's weird to think that we've only stocked it in one record shop in the country and it has got such exposure, from radio DJs to the CSI thing. I guess 'Parting Patterns' being used on CSI:NY was one of the pleasant surprises. Some have said that while it is one of the better releases by an Irish artist over the last year or so, it somewhat fails to capture the real Ambience Affair essence, as it lacks the build-ups, excitement and thick textures of the essentially process-based live show. How would you respond to that? I think alot of artists try too hard on recreating the excitement of a live show on record. At first, we were like that. We were very wary of doing anything on record that we couldn't do live but the experience we gained from recording meant that we realised that the songs were going to be limited in sound if we stuck to exactly how they are performed live. Now we're not afraid to make the two things a separate entity. Our live show will always hopefully captivate in a way that a record never will. Do you think the Ambience Affair will remain a predominantly live or studio act? I'd like to think that we can be both. As I've spoken about in the last question, I think people should hopefully go to our gigs and watch an interpretation of our songs in a live setting, rather than us pressing play on a laptop and it being note perfect like it is on record. This month saw the release of EMI's New Breeds compilation double CD of some of the more underground of Ireland's music acts. The Ambience Affair naturally features: can you tell us how that came about? We were just contacted by the organisers and felt it to be a great opportunity to get further exposure and to be in the same group as many talented contemporaries Might this be indicative of a new deal in the works with EMI... I don't think so, we're just happy to be involved with the project. What other acts in the Irish music scene are exciting you most these days? The Irish music scene is very healthy at the moment with bands such as Villagers, O Emperor and We Cut Corners all writing consistently brilliant songs. We're lucky to have played shows with all three and got to see their talent up-close. It's great to have bands like that pushing you to write better songs. What do Ambience Affair have in store for us over the next year or two? The rest of the year will involve doing a support tour of Ireland in July and our own headline tour in October. This, together with a few festivals should keep us going. We've just started recording/demoing for the album so we hope to have it completed by the end of the year. Then we'll look into properly releasing it early 2011. Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Fri, 28 May 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:41 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/42/We-Are-Scientists#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=42 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=42&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/42/We-Are-Scientists Keith Murray and Chris Cain of US indie-rockers We Are Scientists often don’t take interviews all that seriously. It may have something to do with their way-out sense of humour (check out their website www.wearescientists.com – it’s insane) or it could simply be a way of entertaining themselves as they respond to questions they have heard countless times before. So it is with some trepidation that I phone Chris (above right), the band’s bassist and prankster-in-chief, at his home in New York for an interview about the new album and their upcoming plans for the year. As it turns out, he is relatively serious for once and is friendly and unfailingly polite throughout as we chat about his band’s excellent, return – to - form new album Barbara, how his ending up in a successful rock band is somewhat accidental and why Cardiff’s nightlife terrifies him…   So, are you happy with the new album Barbara? Does it differ in any way to the previous two albums? I think this is the one. It’s not a stylistic left-turn or anything but I think it represents the culmination of the sort of song-writing we have been doing for the last ten years which is definitely just poppy, ‘audience-worshipping’ rock-songs. We’re definitely not a navel-gazing band when it comes to our song writing! I’m intrigued by the album title Barbara. Is it a specific person?   It’s not a specific person but we liked the idea of giving it an actual name as opposed to a title. And I guess if there’s any meaning, I think the name Barbara suggests an older generation a little bit, and it’s a very current name. I think a year from now everyone’s going to be naming their daughters Barbara! With Love and Squalor was the album that brought mainstream recognition and it gives the impression the band was an overnight success. Yet it is not actually your debut album? Yeah, we tend to count this (Barbara) as the third album as it’s the album that is getting any sort of distribution at all. We did a record back in 2002 called Safety, Fun, and Learning (In That Order) and we literally printed about a thousand copies and sold them at shows. I probably have about two hundred copies of that record still! We did not sell out a 1000 copy-run of that record! We tend to think of that album as a demo or such-like. We then did three EPs after that: Bitching, Inaction and The Wolf’s Hour. As an American band, were you prepared for the success that came with the release of With Love And Squalor over here in the UK and Ireland? I don’t think our rise was meteoric in any way. We signed to a label - Virgin Records - and that allowed the music to get in front of a lot more people, especially in the UK and Ireland and then it took off a little bit but it wasn’t like we had a bunch of number one singles or even a top twenty! I think on that first record the highest placing for the single was like thirty-six or something. So it wasn’t meteoric or anything but it was great and I am hugely grateful for what has happened over the last five years. It felt more like a steady-build with each tour as each time we were going to larger venues but there’s also been some backtracking, as the second album didn’t sell as well as the first album, but we had time to enjoy it, that’s for sure. It seems to me that you are enjoying a comfortable level of success, not overwhelmingly famous yet not languishing in obscurity either. It’s ticking over nicely. Well, yes, we have never felt that our privacy has been violated or anything. Every once in a while in London or somewhere people will recognise us on the street and will want to get a picture of us. We’re just regular Joes but at same time we are at that level where we don’t need to work day-jobs, definitely. Did you always want to be in a rock band?  No, actually! Unfortunately for the romanticism of the story I didn’t always want to be in a band. In fact, I had never picked up an instrument until I started playing bass in We Are Scientists in 2000 and basically Keith and I and another friend of ours, Scott Lamb, decided to start playing to kill time in the evenings. We had just graduated from University and we had our first real jobs so we needed something to do! It was really just a hobby and generally we had very low expectations of where it might go. We enjoyed playing live in front of a couple of people, it was fun to rehearse, and it was fun to write songs. But even for someone who wasn’t pining his whole life to play on stage I think it’s a dream come true to be able to work on something that is mine and that I care about and that’s all I have to do. What type of music did you listen to growing up?  We listened to a lot of mainstream rock in the late Eighties, mainstream hard-rock like Poison, Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard and then in the Nineties it was essentially grunge and Nirvana. I think it wasn’t until I got to college that I listened to stuff that wasn’t necessarily on the radio Is there any band or artist that could claim to be the single most significant influence on We Are Scientists? I think Weezer is a long-time shared influence for both Keith and I and is the one that is fairly apparent in our music. (For) this record I remember having conversations before we even started writing it that we really wanted it to be like The Green Album, the third Weezer record, that (album) is weirdly homogenous in that it has all these perfect, three-minute pop nuggets and they’re not repetitive in any specific way. They are all just so perfectly honed and melodic that it has this strange hypnotic effect when you listen to the record. I don’t think we ended up achieving that exactly but we did write a lot of short songs. We were so impressed by that record being under thirty minutes long, which was so cool for us for a rock record. I think ours is thirty-one minutes and a half! Was there a specific reason why you wrote a short album with short songs this time around on Barbara? For us the attraction of short pop-songs is more of a math-problem or something as in how much you can cut out of a song, how short can you make everything to give the most concentrated version of the set of melodies you have come up with. I mean, even back on With Love And Squalor our tendency as a band is to always cut out as much out as possible. Do you enjoy touring?  It has its downsides. Playing shows remains a magical experience but that’s about an hour or so of each day, the rest of the day can get pretty grinding when you are on tour. We are entertainers after all; they’re not paying to see you drive from Manchester to Brighton or whatever! One of the first things you have to deal with once a band takes off is that it is still a job, there is a lot of work involved, just that drudgery but once (you deal with it) you will realise that maybe it still is the best job in the world. But it’s not a vacation. Do you prefer touring to being in the studio?  I don’t hate being in the studio but we’re not really a big ‘fiddling around with the sonic’ (aspect of recording) type of band, as we tend to write our songs before we get to the studio. The studio aspect is more about being patient and trying out different sounds to get to the point where you think the song is being properly served. What are your memories of playing in Ireland up to now? I think we played the Ambassador twice on our own and another time on the NME tour. We also played… is it, The Village? Yes, The Village. [I tell him it’s not the best venue in the city, to put it mildly.] Yeah, it’s got these weird, crazy sight-lines but the show at the Village was really awesome as people got up on stage, the bass-amp fell over at one point, almost crushed someone to death! It was a truly crazy and rowdy night at that venue! We’ve always loved playing Dublin; we also went to Galway and Cork too and of course up to Belfast also.   Do you notice any real difference when you play to an Irish audience, as opposed to a UK or US one? I don’t really know about a specific difference but my gut tells me that Irish fans seem to sing along to the songs a lot more than UK audiences   Maybe that might have something to do with the fact they have drank larger quantities of alcohol! Yeah, there is definitely a culture of partying there. Even just hanging out in Dublin is always pretty wild but in a nice way. Going to somewhere like Cardiff is pretty wild too but in a fucking terrifying way. Really? Why’s that? On a Friday night or a Saturday night in Cardiff, you’re downtown and no matter where you look you always see one or two fights happening! It’s just a very violently - charged atmosphere. It’s a not a wild-party atmosphere in a jubilant way, but in more of a letting off violent energy way. Scary!   I tell him that my favourite track of theirs is ‘Chick Lit’ because when I first heard it I was surprised it was by them as it has an ambitiously serious quality that is at odds with the band’s jokey persona. That one’s got a complex after-life for me because I was never quite satisfied with how it ended up on the record. I liked it because I think it had a lot of really cool elements to it but it’s just so busy, it feels like you are in a tempest! I wish we had simplified it more. Playing live recently we have gone back to a three-piece (so) playing Chick Lit with just three guys you end up having to cut out a lot of stuff. But it’s been really cool to rediscover the skeleton of the song and what really makes it work Speaking of band - personnel changes, is ex-Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows now a full-time member of the band? He’s the drummer on the new record but he’s going to be only intermittently available to play with us live this year as he’s got a solo-project called I Am Arrows that’s bringing out an album in July. We are thinking of doing a tour with him in the Fall where they would support us so Andy would play both sets, which would suck for him but would be great for us!! How did you end up working with him anyway? Are you fans of Razorlight? Keith and I were more fans of Andy Burrows than Razorlight - not that we dislike them - they were just not a big band for us. We probably met him at some festival and he is one of the most affable people you could meet. Almost everyone that meets him all think of themselves as a friend of his! In any case, we had a very amicable relationship with him and whenever Razorlight came through New York we would hang out with him.     What’s quite distinctive about We are Scientists is that you put almost as much effort into the comedic side of the band as you do with the music, yet the music itself is quite thoughtful, accomplished indie-rock. Is the comedy aspect something you’d like to pursue further? It’s definitely something we will pursue further. That’s something Keith and I have a shared interest in, stuff like stand-up comedy and on TV and film also. We used to go see stand-up comedy when we first moved to New York two or three times a week. It’s definitely a long-standing interest and one that we have the opportunity to indulge in, now that our music is a little more popular.  It’s given us opportunities to basically abuse our own fame and basically make people sit through our comic efforts! As long as people continue to let us do it we are going to see what we can make of it. I tell him that those NME Brat Awards clips, where he and Keith pretend to be reporters putting nonsensical questions to famous types, are hilarious… The real bummer for me was seeing some of the responses on the YouTube videos afterwards - they would say ‘Aw, you guys fucking destroyed Kate Nash’ and ‘Who is that idiot!’ and that was not at all the intention of the thing. In fact when we were actually doing it, it was all very good-spirited and even the people who were a little confused had fun with it. After we finished the piece, they were laughing alongside us. I’m happy you’ve gone easy on me but in many of the other print, online or TV interviews I’ve read or seen you and Keith prefer to joke around rather than give proper answers, albeit never in a mocking or cruel way. Why is that? To be honest, we usually take the lead of the interviewer. If the interviewer is bored or doesn’t want to be there or is not serious himself about it then we are going to try to make it fun for ourselves. But if someone comes with a legitimate interest and wants to have a real conversation then we are not going to shut them out or anything! I think it sometimes confuses people but I think it’s the only healthy way we could do this; we could not do it any other way. I hope it doesn’t cause too much negative confusion, as I don’t want them being put off. Although our personalities have plenty of ‘frivolity’ the music tends to be a concentration of the more thoughtful aspects of who we are.   We Are Scientist’s new album Barbara is released on June 11th. They play Oxegen in the summer and will return for their own show later in the year.  Ken Fallon More ... Ken Fallon Fri, 28 May 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:42 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/43/Power-of-Dreams#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=43 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=43&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/43/Power-of-Dreams Twenty years ago an alarmingly young band from Dublin released a debut album full of near-flawless indie-pop tunes. It had a confidence and ambition that was at odds with their youth and it is still talked about to this day as one of the great Irish debuts of all time. The album was called ‘Immigrants, Emigrants And Me’ and the band were Power of Dreams. Formed by songwriter Craig Walker (above, right) in 1989 while he was still at school, along with his brother Keith on drums and their friend Mick Lennox on bass, the success of the album brought a certain level of fame and critical plaudits on the youngsters, both here and abroad. Flash forward two decades and I am sitting at Craig Walker’s kitchen-table listening to his recollections of the highs and lows of the last twenty years. Walker, now a youthful 38, looks back with pride on that debut album and the subsequent success his band enjoyed in the early Nineties. I tell him that his band was the first Irish band I was a fan of and his album was one I incessantly listened to on my Walkman on the way to and from school, along with ‘Nevermind’ and My Bloody Valentine’s ‘Loveless’. Yep, it really was that good. It holds a special place in Craig’s heart too. ‘‘I’m so proud of it’ he says, over our first mug of tea. ‘I didn’t even have a copy of it for a long time. For fifteen years I didn’t even have an actual physical copy! And then I got a vinyl copy about four years ago – a friend of mine bought it for me for my birthday, second-hand! It’s actually great to have it again – I think it’s dated all right’’ True, that. The album wouldn’t sound out of place if it was released today. ‘‘The songs were done when I was 16 or 17 and the album came out when I was 18, so yeah I was young – fucking hell! It was unusual for sure but we had been together for a while before the album came out’’ What is striking about the album, both listening to the remastered CD version now and that battered old tape I had all those years ago, is how accomplished it sounds for a band still a few years short of their 20th birthday. Craig sounded like he had been singing and playing guitar for decades and the lyrical themes he touched on belied his tender teenage years. Even the drumming is exceptional from Craig's younger brother, Keith. So where does a 16 or 17 year old find that creative spark to write such grown-up songs? It seems the inspiration behind it was born from heartbreak.‘‘I got dumped in 1989 for the first time ever – the year before the album came out'' he recalls now, with a wry smile. ''The first love of my life...she dumped me and I just retreated to the bedroom and wrote loads of songs about it.’ It seems this girl was unwittingly responsible for an album that people are still praising twenty years on. ‘’A lot of the songs are about her on the album like ‘Stay’ and ‘Never Told You’ and ‘100 Ways To Kill A Love’. I had my heart broken for the first time. It was real big thing for me then as I had never felt emotion like that before and suddenly I had a reason to pick up the guitar’’ Does he think he could be as creative if he wasn’t going through some sort of emotional upheaval in his life? ‘’Well, before, I would sit down and try to write songs and I was thinking ‘what am I going to write this song about’ so the only time to write is when you’re inspired, otherwise you’re trying to write songs to order. I’ve tried it (writing to order) but it’s an indefinable thing trying to write a song. It’s like when your emotions are on a high level, whether it’s sadness, happiness, or whatever but generally it’s when you’re feeling a bit sad that the songs come out.’’ I was always fascinated by the title of the album too – ‘Immigrants, Emigrants And Me’. Did he think the words just sounded well together or was there a deeper significance? Craig reveals that the title was a kind of homage to another excellent indie - band from that period, The Sundays. ‘’The title was actually a nod to ‘Reading, Writing and Arithmetic’ which I thought was completely English. It couldn’t be any more English. Only an English band could get away with that! So I thought ‘What’s Irish and could fit into that?’ And that was that. I was also a big Pogues fan at the time, you can’t really hear it in the music but in spirit they were a big influence. I always loved the Philip Chevron song ‘Thousands Are Sailing’. This whole idea of having wakes for the Irish people before they went off to America because their families would never see them again - that really fascinated me.’’ After the success of ‘Immigrants’ Craig and the band moved to London and he instantly connected with the city and he would remain there until returning to Dublin a couple of years ago.‘I think I always knew I was going to move away at some point, which I did as I had a fascination with England and its music’ he admits ‘I was obsessed with English music. I remember the first time I went to Camden Town and hanging out and going to see bands there – I just thought that was the best thing as these were the places where The Pistols and The Clash played. It was amazing so it was kind of connected to that.’ It would be easy to be under the impression that Craig can craft perfect indie-pop songs with a kind of effortless ease. There is barely any filler on 'Immigrants' or even on its follow-up '2 Hell With Common Sense'. On the subsequent albums 'Positivity' and 'Become Yourself', though patchy, there are still moments of real magic. How easy or difficult does he find the song-writing process? ‘’I’ve had periods where I’ve struggled, for various reasons’’ he says, as he gets up to put on the kettle again. ‘’You get blocks – they’re always a mental block. It’s something that you have set up yourself. You’re thinking: I’ve done that...I can’t repeat that...you can kind of think yourself into a corner with songwriting and end up creating music that you don’t like. And I’ve done it; I’ve done it in the past. You try to make music to please the record company as you think there is a fan base there that might enjoy this and, to be honest, anything that’s done like that will never work. It’s taken me a while to realise that.’’ Around the time Power Of Dreams appeared on the scene in 1990, U2 were going through a transitional phase from the American bombast of Rattle and Hum to that new irony set in the heart of Europe that was ‘Achtung, Baby’. Walker talks of his fascination with English music so did U2 hold any sway with him? ‘’Up until ‘Rattle and Hum’ I totally admired them. Growing up in Dublin, I looked at them and thought: if those four blokes from Dublin can do it and get themselves up to that position, well...it was just really inspiring. They were a big inspiration in that sense. It was possible to be from this little island and end up on fucking Red Rocks. It was like ‘Wow, that’s one of ours doing that’. That was the spur. It was like: if they can do it, fuck it – we can do it too! They were definitely an influence - especially ‘The Unforgettable Fire’, that was a real magical album’’ And who were the other bands, the other albums that informed his taste in music and shaped the sound of Power Of Dreams? ‘’I was a massive Smiths fan - the biggest Smiths fan you could possibly be. Bought all the records before they came out. I would come into town on a Monday to go into HMV on Grafton Street to buy the twelve-inches on the day they were released, rush home and listen to these amazing songs and the B-sides and everything. The best lyricist I have ever heard - I don’t think there is anyone that comes close for me to Morrissey. My brother was a total music fanatic which was great for me. He was five years older and that’s where I did all my learning – through his record collection!’’ he laughs ‘ABC, Heaven 17, Human League, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen - loved ‘Ocean Rain’, which is one my favourite albums of all time. I discovered The Smiths through him, The Jam through him. The Jam were another amazing band for me – particularly the singles. The first album I ever paid cash for was ‘Sound Affects’ (The Jam’s fifth album) - just great songs, great lyrics. We signed to Polydor because that was The Jam’s label, all those seven inches. And The Who were on it as well. I think England always throws up good music but I don’t hear it now. It seems a little bit dull at the moment’’ After the success of the debut album, the band toured the world before releasing an assured follow-up album called ‘2 Hell With Common Sense’. It’s the sound of a band who had tasted success and seen the world. It was a denser, darker collection of songs but the soaring melodies were still there. ‘It was heavily influenced by My Bloody Valentine’’ says Craig ‘’I was taking loads of ecstasy at that point and listening to ‘Loveless’. I discovered drugs when I discovered ‘Loveless’ really. Ecstasy and My Bloody Valentine are actually a great combination!’’ he laughs ‘’My taste in music was changing at that time, through Kevin Shields in a way. Like a melody doesn’t have to come with an acoustic guitar, it didn’t have to be The Smiths, melody could be part of a real intensity. We spent a lot of time on it, about six months but I don’t think it’s as good as the first album. I would probably have to go back and listen to it again with fresh ears. I was really pleased with it but the thing is it was tainted because we knew the record company were just not into it. And that was devastating to us because it were worked on it for six months.’ It’s at this point that things started to go awry for the band. The record company, sensing the critical plaudits the band were receiving were still not resulting in them become the next U2, eventually lost interest and decided not to push or promote the album ‘One day a guy from Polydor came down to see us. He sat us down and said: ‘I’ve got some really bad news - the single has only charted at 46’ but we thought that was something to celebrate! But yes, I was still only 19 and it was big knock to the confidence. Really, really was. It felt like our backs were against the wall and we were in trouble.’’ They soldiered on but Craig knew that this was the beginning of the end for the band. ‘We did two albums on indies after that (Positivity and Become Yourself) which are okay in parts. I sound depressed on them – I sound like how I felt at that time. It felt like career over at 21. It felt like we were being written off and it took me a while for me to get over that. After Power Of Dreams it was extremely difficult to get back in the saddle’ he admits ‘I was so sick of the industry - this business is so fucking ruthless. People who you’ve worked with for two or three years, or whatever, overnight will suddenly stop taking your calls. It was a harsh reality to have to face up to but I kept going’ The band went their separate ways in 1995 but Walker remained in London, to explore new avenues ‘’I stayed on in London and then eventually I got a band called Pharmacy with Ian Olney from Power Of Dreams together but we spent a year rehearsing an album that was never recorded (The record company they signed to went bust). Then I started with (British trip-hop outfit) Archive. It was different but I was really in to it at that point. Did three or four albums with them, a lot of touring, spent a lot of time in the studio. The first single I did with them is sixteen-minutes long! It was a total new adventure for me wth Archive as their way of working was the polar opposite to how an indie band would work or how I would have started out. We would spend six days a week, six months a year in the studio working on songs’’ While he enjoyed working with Archive initially and was happy to be be part of a band again, he soon tired of their working methods and the inevitable compromises involved when collaborating on music ‘’It was interesting but I wouldn’t want to do it again. I wouldn’t want to spend that much time in the studio again. There were three people creating which is always the wrong number as somebody is always going to feel left out. I had loads of ideas I wanted to get out but there but there wasn’t an avenue for them as the writing had to be shared out. I had been in bands for so long that point that I thought I have to in charge of my own destiny again or settle down and be in this band and be a part of it’’ Eventually he quit the band to concentrate on being a solo-artist. ‘It was a tough descision but I’m glad I did it. I can now work with who I like and whan I like and I have no one telling me if I can’t do it or if it would piss off the band. Our tastes were different, the direction of the band was going where I didn’t want it to head. It was heading more of a ‘Wall’ phase which was my least favourite phase of Pink Floyd. Roger Waters orbiting his own ego! But I was very proud of the music’’ After he left Archive, there was no new music from Walker until the relesase of his debut solo album ‘Siamese’ last year. It’s an album that shows that Craig’s gift for songwriting is very much intact. It is more low-key than the raucous teenage rock of his old band but Walker is now older, wiser and enjoying creating music again, quietly and on his own terms. ‘’The three key albums for me, if I had to pick three, are ‘Immigrants...’, ‘Noise’ with Archive and this one ‘Siamese’. We took our time on it, it became like a labour of love. I have never spent so long working on an album as in having time to sit back and listen to it. I would have a six-month period to work on just two songs – I wish I could that with all albums! You get to really figure out what you need to do and to see what the next part of the album should be. I’m really proud of it’’ To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of their debut album, the band are reforming for some eagerly-awaited dates in Ireland and the UK. A 2 CD limited - edition of the album, containing all 14 original tracks plus the “A Little Piece of God” EP and various b-sides was released earlier this year. Listening to it again, with fresh ears, reiterates what a truly great album it is. The band will play it in its entirety at the gigs. Craig is happy to be back on stage with his brother and friends once again. What have the other members been doing in the intervening years? ‘’Everyone has continued to play music apart from Mick (Lennox) . He’s a promoter and I think he manages bands here in Dublin. He’s still involved in music but on the business side. Ian joined the Sultans and he’s in band called Red Atlas. He still gigs and is a really solid musician. Keith’s in America and is in a band called The Bollox!’ he says, laughing ‘He’s a great drummer, phenomenal drummer for his age back then - really solid and fast and I hope he’s still like that!’ For Craig, after the success they enjoyed as teenagers, the touring, the parties, living it up in London and Japan and all points between, he felt the band went out with a whimper rather than a bang. Which means the possibility of a brand new album and maybe a more-term reunion? ‘‘We’ll see how it goes. I’ve got a load of songs that I haven’t used over the years that would sit perfectly on an album. If we get on, it’s a definite possibility – I don’t see why not. I think the first two albums are great but the second two are not so great so I would like the fifth one to be a really good Power Of Dreams album. I don’t like the fact that ‘Become Yourself’ could be seen as the last album as it was not the best album we ever did. If we don’t kill each other we might do it! For the gigs we are going to the whole of ‘Immigrants...’ and we’ll see what else we will throw in. I think it’s important we play the album in full – we get the sweetest emails from people who either fell in love to it or met each other at a Power of Dreams concert’’ This writer was too young to see the band live first time around. I can’t deny there won’t a few hairs rising on the back of my neck when I hear the opening strum of the album’s first track ‘The Joke’s On Me’ live down in Whelans. It’s good to be able to talk about Power Of Dreams in the present tense again. Their story may not be over yet. Ken Fallon Power Of Dreams play Whelans this Friday, 12th of March which is sold out. A second show for the 14th at the same venue has also been added. They also play Cork’s Pavilion on the 13th and the Spirit Store in Dundalk on the 11th. Craig Walker’s solo album ‘Siamese’ is out now. www.myspace.com/powerofdreams www.powerofdreams.ie http://www.myspace.com/craigjohnwalker More ... Ken Fallon Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:43 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/44/Valerie-Francis#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=44 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=44&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/44/Valerie-Francis CLUAS fires some questions at Valerie Francis, creator of Choice Music Prize nominated album Slow Dynamo. Tell us about the album - its conception, creation, response... Is there anything you'd go back and change about it now? I wouldn't change a thing. I don't think it's good to think like that. We did exactly what we wanted to do at the time and we did it the best we could. I couldn't ask for anything more. I feel that making a record is capturing those songs right then and there. It's a moment and that is how they were meant to be in that moment. A musical Polaroid. I always wanted to make an album and it took a while to make it a reality. I had a few failed attempts at getting started. I think frustration turns into drive after a while. Jimmy [Eadie, the album's producer] is a good friend and I pretty much begged him to record my album. At that stage I just knew I needed to do it and I needed to get people involved who would see it through to the end. Be committed. No one I know is more committed to making music than Jimmy. He puts his whole heart into it. There's no ego either. Which is very important. No sitting around telling each other how great you are. I think that would have made me lazy and distracted. It was just about the music. Being immersed in that for a year was the best year of my life to date. That and Jimmy makes a really good cuppa.  Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? How could I not be happy with the response! I was happy with the reaction from friends alone. It just got better and better. My Dad even listened to it. He said "that's a good tape you've got there". How relevant do you think music awards really are to musicians and music fans? Awards aren't a science. It's a select fews opinion of your album. Just like reviews are one person's opinion. Every musician wants to be heard. It means my album will be heard by some who might never have come across it. I'm very grateful to be 1 of 10 albums up for the Choice. Over 200 Irish albums released last year. Rock on us! Do you think the idea of the album is relevant and capable of holding its own in a world of digital downloading and plummeting CD sales? I can't answer that question. What is relevant? It's music. Some people will like it. Some people won't. As far as CD sales. I knew how drastically that was changing while we were recording. It was never a deterrent. I want to make music. It's what I've been doing my whole life. I'll keep doing it until I'm dead I imagine. Whether anyone's listening or not.    Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? Absolutely. Just look at all the Irish albums released last year. I know these are tough times but music is born through tough times. We all need relief from worrying about how much money we don't have. I want to go to a gig and step into a bubble. Lose myself in music. I think this will be a good year for that. Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? It was a surprise to a lot of people including myself that David Kitt wasn't on the list. I also thought Patrick Kelleher was a shoe-in. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? Without a doubt Adrian Crowley's Season of the Spark.  Best gig you went to in 2009? Grizzly Bear at Vicar Street. The bass player plays oboe. Come on! Does it get any better? Plans for 2010? I want to record a new album. Here we go again. Please! Check out the CLUAS interviews with these other artists who were also nominated for the 2009 Choice Music Prize: Interview with Dark Room Notes (nominated for their album 'We Love You Dark Matter') Interview with Adrian Crowley (nominated for his album 'The Season of the Sparks') Interview with Laura Izibor (nominated for her album 'Let the truth be told') Interview with The Duckworth Lewis Method (nominated for their self-titled album) Interview with And So I Watch You From Afar (nominated for their self-titled album) More ... Anna Murray Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:44 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/45/Sounds-of-System-Breakdown#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=45 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=45&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/45/Sounds-of-System-Breakdown Sounds of System Breakdown, the electronic, pop, dance rock brain child of Rob Costello released their debut album in January. Cluas caught up with Rob Costello from the band for a few words just prior to the release to find out their plans. The Album was launched on the 27th Jan. Is it a culmination of songs built up over the last three years or new stuff? Is most of the work a product of the group or are there solo tunes from Rob that were worked on after you became a three-piece? The album is a mix of old and new, some of it dating back to 2005. The songs were mostly written by me but the arrangements on the album were very much influenced by our work on the live show as a three piece. Bands tend to get grouped and packaged nowadays it seems, every group has to have a trendy genre tag attached. Industry and media folks call you guys electro-punk, is that fair do you think? Do you see yourselves as electro? Or as a band who play and write lots of songs that don't constitute just electro or punk? I think bands have to package themselves these days. Every profile you set up on a website and every competition you enter requires you to select from a menu of genre tags, and with the inordinate amount of bands out there at the moment, punters and press need shortcuts and filters to navigate through. Having said that, the album we have made is quite eclectic and I don't think it fits neatly into those categories. Where was the album recorded? Was it self produced? Was there a lot of input from you as to the different tweaks etc to make it sound the way you wanted? The album was recorded and mixed largely in our own studio, with a day here and there in commercial studios like Qube and Silverline. We borrowed whatever mics and equipment we could get our hands on, and with a lot of help from my brother, Ed Costello, learned how to put it together ourselves. What is the aim of the album? What would success be for you? Are you looking to sign with a label? Would it be an economic decision if the opportunity arose? Success would be to be able to play music full-time. I don't necessarily think you need a label to do that nowadays but if the right one came along, we'd probably go for it. The nice thing about self-producing the album is that we own all the copyrights and aren't stuck in restrictive contracts. We're very much free to go wherever we want from here. Are you writing all the time, at this stage is there a solid number of tunes outside of the album you have in reserve? Or was the writing process centred around getting an album together? There are hundreds of little ideas and maybe four or five songs that are close to completion that we now have time to have a look at properly. Now that we have time, we're going to do a lot more jamming as a band. We’re looking forward to that. In this climate, it would be fair to say it's easier to get music out, technologically, however touring and the cost of getting your name around live is still huge. Would your biggest constraint as a group be the cost and lack of resources associated with touring? I suppose so. Up till now we've stuck mostly to Dublin gigs and the small festival circuit, but hopefully as word spreads about the album there will be opportunities to fill up two cars and head off. We're currently booking a small Irish tour which we'll release details about soon. What’s next in the immediate future? What are the plans for 2010? Now that most of the boring admin work associated with releasing an album is finished, we're looking forward to a lot of jamming, gigging and writing. We're also putting together a couple of videos and getting some friends to do remixes. Watch this space. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:45 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/46/The-2010-Choice-Music-Prize-nominees#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=46 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=46&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/46/The-2010-Choice-Music-Prize-nominees Now in its fifth year, the Choice Music Prize is well established as a key milestone on the Irish music scene's calendar. The albums shortlisted for this year's prize represent a diverse and intriguing mix of Irish releases of the last year. The winner will be announced in Vicar Street on 3 March 2010 (8 of the 10 nominated acts are confirmed to play on the night). Always going that extra 1609 metres for its readers, CLUAS prepared a set of questions for each act nominated for the 2009 award. We've so far gotten replies from 6 of the 10 acts, check out the links below to see what each act had to say: Interview with Valerie Francis (nominated for her album 'Slow Dynamo') Interview with Dark Room Notes (nominated for their album 'We Love You Dark Matter') Interview with Adrian Crowley (nominated for his album 'The Season of the Sparks') Interview with Laura Izibor (nominated for her album 'Let the truth be told') Interview with The Duckworth Lewis Method (nominated for their self-titled album) Interview with And So I Watch You From Afar (nominated for their self-titled album) The other artists nominated this year were: Julie Feeney (for her album 'Pages') Bell X1 (for their album 'Blue Lights on The Runway') CODES (for their album 'Trees Dream in Algebra') The Swell Season (for their album 'Strict Joy') More ... Anna Murray Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:46 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/47/Dark-Room-Notes#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=47 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=47&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/47/Dark-Room-Notes CLUAS fires some questions at Darragh of Dark Room Notes, the creators of the Choice Music Prize nominated album We Love You Dark Matter. Tell us about the album - its conception, creation, response... Is there anything you'd go back and change about it now? Well the album was a important for us as it helped us say "OK this is where we're at, let's put out these songs that we've road tested at gigs, record them as best we can and start writing for a second album, let's keep moving forward".  So we recorded live, a track a day over 14 days and kept a momentum in the studio of "this is a nearly live album". The response has been amazing and the album is now getting a global release on BBE records, we've already started writing the second album, what we would change on We Love you Dark Matter? The original art work was banned, that was a shame.   Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? Yes, definitely, and DRN are playing more gigs because of it which helps you become a better musician: it's a win win situation How relevant do you think music awards really are to musicians and music fans? Difficult to say, there's certainly been a lot of debate about it. You don't write to win awards, you write and play to wow each other, to turn each other on, but I think competition is healthy and I know the money would help any of the bands survive making more music. Do you think the idea of the album is relevant and capable of holding its own in a world of digital downloading and plummeting CD sales? Yes, of course, but only if a band are prepared to leave out filler tracks. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? Yes, there's a lot of diversity out there if your prepared to look. Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? U2 Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? Giz a copy of all of them and we'll tell you. Best gig you went to in 2009? Whitest Boy Alive Plans for 2010? Tour abroad, meet new people, record the second album and fight with each other all over again! Check out the CLUAS interviews with these other artists who were also nominated for the 2009 Choice Music Prize: Interview with Valerie Francis (nominated for her album 'Slow Dynamo') Interview with Adrian Crowley (nominated for his album 'The Season of the Sparks') Interview with Laura Izibor (nominated for her album 'Let the truth be told') Interview with The Duckworth Lewis Method (nominated for their self-titled album) Interview with And So I Watch You From Afar (nominated for their self-titled album) More ... Anna Murray Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:47 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/48/Adrian-Crowley#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=48 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=48&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/48/Adrian-Crowley CLUAS fires some questions at Adrian Crowley, creator of the Choice Music Prize nominated Season of the Sparks. Tell us about the album - its conception, creation, response... Is there anything you'd go back and change about it now? I had already begun writing songs for Season Of The Sparks by the time Long Distance Swimmer was released. I recorded it over the course of fourteen days in Dublin. I'd head over to the studio on the 121 bus with a plan for the day ahead. It seemed to come together easily and I had a clear vision of how I wanted it to sound. I try and develop the songs as much as I can outside the studio so when it came to recording the songs they were down in pretty much one take. The response has been great with reviews and general good will coming from previously unexplored territories thanks to a new record deal with an amazing label. I'm still proud of the album and can't say there's anything about it I would alter. I'll soon be thinking of album number six though. Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? Yes. In fact the response is continuing so I'm still in the thick of it. It's been an amazing few months since the album was released worldwide in November, we're getting feedback from Canada, France, Japan.. it seems the initial reaction has been that the album has struck a chord with certain people across the map. How relevant do you think music awards really are to musicians and music fans? They have a relevance of course. From the point of view of the music maker: well, I would say that anyone who places all their chips on getting a nomination for a music award needs to ask themself some serious questions on why they're in the game in the first place. I had been making albums for almost nine years before I was nominated for anything so you need your own impetus to keep going. It's important to be proud of what you're doing anyway and it's important to acknowledge the praise of others when they come forward with a gesture of acknowledgement. It would be ungracious to think otherwise. When I got the call about this nomination I was totally flattered. There's no denying the sense of encouragement that brings. From the point of view of music fans, sure I imagine they/we are likely to make new discoveries as a result. Do you think the idea of the album is relevant and capable of holding its own in a world of digital downloading and plummeting CD sales? I seem to remember having a conversation about this before. Well from my personal point of view I'm hardly going to alter how I write music just because of a changing format out there in the wider world. I'm still going to dedicate sections of my creative life to a collection of musical narratives. That's how I work. More relevantly though, I think the concept of an album will continue to last. I can't see people getting excited about a new release by an artist unless it's presented as a collection of new works. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? I would say yes, most definitely. It's rich with hidden gemstones and and people doing things for themselves and others without their eye on the conventional barometer. In my eyes that's what constitutes a healthy scene. Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? I don't really think about it in that way. When you think about how many albums were released this year and the ten slots to be filled on the shortlist it's anyone's guess really. I feel more inclined to congratulate the others on the shortlist then begrudge anyone of their place there. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? Probably Slow Dynamo! Best gig you went to in 2009? Probably Gareth Dickson from Glasgow, Upstairs in Whelans at Homelights Festival in November. That was magnificent. Plans for 2010? Writing and touring in both familiar and unfamiliar places and spending time with my family. Check out the CLUAS interviews with these other artists who were also nominated for the 2009 Choice Music Prize: Interview with Valerie Francis (nominated for her album 'Slow Dynamo') Interview with Dark Room Notes (nominated for their album 'We Love You Dark Matter') Interview with Laura Izibor (nominated for her album 'Let the truth be told') Interview with The Duckworth Lewis Method (nominated for their self-titled album) Interview with And So I Watch You From Afar (nominated for their self-titled album) More ... Anna Murray Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:48 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/49/Laura-Izibor#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=49 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=49&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/49/Laura-Izibor One of the nominees for the 2010 Choice Music Prize CLUAS fires some questions at Laura Izibor, creator of Choice Music Prize nominated album Let The Truth Be Told. Tell us about the album - its conception, creation, response... Is there anything you'd go back and change about it now? There was no real concept involved in making the album. I was just a 17 year old girl writing songs in her bedroom about real & honest things. I wouldnt changed a thing. Let The Truth Be Told captured a very pure and timeless part of my life. Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? I was extemely happy with the response to the album. So many people connnected to it and that is all you can ask for as an artist. How relevant do you think music awards really are to musicians and music fans? I think its always nice to receive any recognition for your hard work especially when it is from such a credible awards as Choice Music Prize. Do you think the idea of the album is relevant and capable of holding its own in a world of digital downloading and plummeting CD sales?
 I as an artist always have to believe it is relevant, as the day I think an album I write is not, is the day I will quit. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment?  I think the scene as its presented to us is not in a good place but if you look harder beneth the surface there is great music being made. Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? I’ve always thought Royseven’s The Art Of Insincerity was a fabulous album. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? Codes Trees Dream In Algebra. Best gig you went to in 2009? India Arie in Memphis was very special. Plans for 2010? Going on tour with Chrisette Michele, my own headline tour in the US and make album number two! Check out the CLUAS interviews with these other artists who were also nominated for the 2009 Choice Music Prize: Interview with Valerie Francis (nominated for her album 'Slow Dynamo') Interview with Dark Room Notes (nominated for their album 'We Love You Dark Matter') Interview with Adrian Crowley (nominated for his album 'The Season of the Sparks') Interview with The Duckworth Lewis Method (nominated for their self-titled album) Interview with And So I Watch You From Afar (nominated for their self-titled album) More ... Anna Murray Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:49 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/50/Jenny-Huston#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=50 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=50&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/50/Jenny-Huston 2FM DJ and broadcaster Jenny Huston wrote a book profiling Irish bands and artists on the up. The book is filled with interviews on how they got there, got dropped, got signed again and split - before getting back together in some cases! It’s an enjoyable read and essential for both folks with an interest in Irish artists, as well as budding artists who will soon discover music as a career choice isn’t all glamour. Was the book a long time coming? Was it a long time work in progress or something that occurred to you as something you’d love to do? I was approached by Jo O'Donoghue (editor) from Currach Press in December 2008 asking me would I be interested it writing a book on emerging bands.  It was not something I had ever thought of doing. I gave it serious thought over Christmas and said yes in January.  Work started in February 2009, so it took the best part of nine months to complete.  I wanted to celebrate the various bands successes and for all of the interviews to be exclusive to the book. How did you choose the bands and artists? Did you pick your favourites or was it more a question of who you think have achieved success or tinkering on the edge of success? I chose the bands on merit as much as humanly possible.  I wanted In Bloom to be about the new headliners - the bands that had come to prominence in Ireland post 2000 and could sell out numerous shows a year. There is great mix of style within it - The Coronas are very different to Jape etc. I really like that about it. In the foreword of the book, Glen Hansard said Irish people are too self aware to ever think they are cool, and that they have something that’s different. Do you think Irish bands can be too self aware and instead of just going for it, are waiting for perfection, and afraid of rejection (as they see it) before they put anything out? There are lots of bands who have been around for 4-5 years and only one or two EP worth of songs released (over the web or otherwise). I think Glen was hitting on the 'cool factor' that many bands in London or New York have. Our bands don't tend to spawn fashion trends or be known for their haircuts, but that doesn't mean they are not every bit as interesting.  With bands and productivity it is as different as apples and oranges.  Some bands release everything they write and record (and shouldn't) and others heavily self edit (perhaps overly hard on themselves in the strive for perfection).  Money is still a huge factor in getting music out - it costs to mix and master and to print and distribute and it costs to promote your releases. Some bands simply are not as hard working as others.  Laziness can be a factor as much as a lack of self belief.     I recall speaking to a singer from an Irish band in the nineties who were signed to Geffen at the same time as Nirvana and G’N’R, and he said “we were always in the company of cool but never in the company of money”. Is the business side of things the biggest roadblock for bands and artists in successfully sustaining a good career? Definitely.  The major reason for any bands splitting up is usually money.  One or more members are tired of being broke, not so keen on sleeping on floors or in cars anymore and simply wanting a normal routine like their friends from school now have.  In your twenties its great but as many artist reach thirty the need for proof of success (financial as well as critical) can become really important, otherwise the question "what are we doing this for?" starts to creep up more and more often. Not being able to pay rent when you have five star reviews is extremely frustrating and can kill the spirit of the best creative artist. How important is a good manager? Do you believe that a band can have all the talent in the world but if they don’t have the right person watching their back, it’s no use? Yes, a good manager is very important once a band reaches a certain level and is doing long tours/in demand. They need someone who is at the end of an email or a phone on a daily basis that can be the buffer between agents, labels and promoters and who knows how to talk in the business world.  These days the only people with money are often drink and telecommunications companies and doing a corporate gig might be the difference between funding your next album or paying for flights for your next tour. They need someone that can make the right strategic decisions about what things to say yes or no too. Someone that will protect their future and who will maximize their opportunities and longevity and who fundamentally believes in their work The decision of whether or not to sign for a big label is a reccurring them in the book, do you think with the advent of the internet and music being so freely available online, that bands don’t need labels anymore? Or is still the first thing on a lot of artist’s minds? Artist don't need labels to reach a level of success in Ireland, but it would be next to impossible to successfully release and tour in the United States without support.  Nowadays bands lean towards recording an album themselves (creative control) and then licensing it to a label for larger territories.  It is the best of both worlds.   What labels offer is financial support (just like a mortgage to buy a house) for your release. The cost of distributing an album and PR in Ireland is a fraction of what it costs for the UK, Germany or Australia (they have the machine in place).   How influential do believe radio to be nowadays for breaking bands? Do bands still flood stations with demos as much as ever? Radio is crucial for many bands but then it completely depends on the genre and aspirations of the artists. If you are a pop artist you need radio.  Metal bands get virtually no support from radio yet metal concerts sell out in Ireland all the time.  Snow Patrol are a great example, they were doing ok (popular with indie kids etc with about 40,000 sales) then 'Run' was played by Jo Whiley on daytime BBC and the band was catapulted into public consciousness and started selling hundreds of thousands of records within weeks. Bands flood radio with CDs now MUCH more than ever. Everyone can record these days and everyone seems to (whether they should or not is another question).  Radio is a great tool for a band and will certainly increase your public profile, grow your fan base and perhaps even more importantly (and yet rarely discussed) earn the band income. National radio pays per play. That is why daytime high rotation is so coveted.  It doesn’t just sell albums and sell out concerts, the band will earn a great deal from the airtime as it accumulates.    How long is too long for a band to stay together without getting what they want out of it do you think? Once a band still enjoys playing together - enjoys the creative expression, the buzz from it then they can play together happily for life.  If the end game is playing stadiums and living in mansions then it will become apparent after a few albums whether or not that is on the cards or whether or not that is still the goal.  Again I will use Snow Patrol as an example.  Final Straw was the album that broke them worldwide.  It was their third album.  Elbow enjoyed a critical following until the Seldom Seen Kid, their fourth album, and now have huge audiences wherever they go. Self belief is crucial. You only have to read Glen Hansard's passionate foreword understand it . Who would be your top three picks as acts who you think are going to break into the public consciousness this year? Bangor's Two Door Cinema Club are already well on their way and I think Fred and Cathy Davey's next albums will see them exposed to whole new audiences (inside and outside Ireland). Kevin Coleman The book is called In Bloom and it’s available from www.inbloom.ie as well as leading book stores. Several of the bands featured have been nominated for Meteor and Choice Music Awards.  Jenny Huston's profile on 2FM's website. More ... Kevin Coleman Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:50 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/51/The-Duckworth-Lewis-Method#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=51 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=51&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/51/The-Duckworth-Lewis-Method On their Choice Music Prize nominated album The Duckworth Lewis Method CLUAS fires some questions at The Duckworth Lewis Method, creators of Choice Music Prize nominated album The Duckworth Lewis Method. Answered by Thomas Walsh (a.k.a. Duckworth). Tell us about the album - its conception, creation, response... Is there anything you'd go back and change about it now? It is a 'cricket pop' album, was conceived for fun and laughter, created through sheer bloodymindedness, sweat, toil and a dollop of talent here and there and the response has been phenomenal. Especially in the U.K where it spent 6 weeks in the album charts reaching the number 40 position (the week Micko Jackson popped his ivory clogs too). The only thing I'd change is one 'Am' chord but I won't tell you where or on which song that would be. How relevant do you think music awards really are to musicians and music fans? The pertinence of music awards is double edged. On the one side they are meaningless and on the other they are slightly less meaningless. Though myself and Lewis have always had a soft spot (just below the knee) for the Choice Music Prize. That's the one that's all about the music 'innit? (Sorry, went a bit urban on your bottom there). So to answer your question in a chewable soundbite....."The chosen choice of Duckworth & Lewis's award of choice, if we had to choose, would be chosen as the Choice". Do you think the idea of the album is relevant and capable of holding its own in a world of digital downloading and plummeting CD sales? Personally neither myself nor Lewis make records and think about their relevance in today's world. We just make music we want to make. If people want to buy it we're as happy as a one armed opening batsman hitting a six at Lord's. Other than that..... Simon Cowell and Susan Boyle are relevant in music at present. Need I say more? Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? (Noise of gun clicking and trigger being cocked) "The Irish music scene is very healthy." Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? Gilbert O'Sullivan & Twink. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? We had the pleasure of meeting 80% of the nominees recently for a chin-wag and some photos and we all found out that none of us had heard any of the others' albums. Best gig you went to in 2009? Macca and/or Roy Wood. Plans for 2010? A concept album with comedian Matt Berry about pigeons from Ballymun. Check out the CLUAS interviews with these other artists who were also nominated for the 2009 Choice Music Prize: Interview with Valerie Francis (nominated for her album 'Slow Dynamo') Interview with Dark Room Notes (nominated for their album 'We Love You Dark Matter') Interview with Adrian Crowley (nominated for his album 'The Season of the Sparks') Interview with Laura Izibor (nominated for her album 'Let the truth be told') Interview with And So I Watch You From Afar (nominated for their self-titled album) More ... Anna Murray Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:51 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/52/And-So-I-Watch-You-From-Afar#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=52 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=52&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/52/And-So-I-Watch-You-From-Afar One of the nominees for the 2010 Choice Music Prize CLUAS fires a few questions at And So I Watch You From Afar, creators of the Choice Music Prize nominated album "And So I Watch You From Afar". Tell us about the album - its conception, creation, response... Is there anything you'd go back and change about it now? The album was the culmination of two and a half years' work; it captured the genesis of our wee band. The response has been nothing short of phenomenal, we're not exactly the most accessible band but people seem to be into it. Personally I wouldn't touch it, it's a moment of our lives, you can't change your past. You can learn from it but you can't alter it. Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? "Staggered" I think would be the correct answer! Critics seemed to be into it which was awesome, but the people that come to our shows or email us or make crazy videos and fire them on youtube, that's the stuff that fills me with pride. How relevant do you think music awards really are to musicians and music fans? It's nice to have a sense of approval but ultimately I don't see it as the be-all-and-end-all. Having said that, we are a young struggling band who happened to release their debut album at a point in history where stealing music has never been easier, so the money would certainly help us to tour more and record! Do you think the idea of the album is relevant and capable of holding its own in a world of digital downloading and plummeting CD sales? Hell yeah, but I'm getting on, I'm 28 and remember waiting patiently for albums to come out. Nothings changed for me. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? As a whole, the whole island, I don't remember a more exciting time, but then I'm in a little bit of a biased position! Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? Adebisi Shank and Bats. Although I think Adebisi's album was released last year. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? Again I'm very biased... Best gig you went to in 2009? The Jesus Lizard at Pukkelpop in Belgium, we played too, so getting to be on the same bill as them was a dream come true. Plans for 2010? I'm pretty sure we're touring or recording everyday now until the day we die. Why would we wanna do anything else? Check out the CLUAS interviews with these other artists who were also nominated for the 2009 Choice Music Prize: Interview with Valerie Francis (nominated for her album 'Slow Dynamo') Interview with Dark Room Notes (nominated for their album 'We Love You Dark Matter') Interview with Adrian Crowley (nominated for his album 'The Season of the Sparks') Interview with Laura Izibor (nominated for her album 'Let the truth be told') Interview with The Duckworth Lewis Method (nominated for their self-titled album) More ... Anna Murray Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:52 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/53/Caruso#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=53 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=53&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/53/Caruso Dubliners Caruso are preparing to embark on a European tour and recently signed a European publishing deal. Since the release of their debut album, 2007's The Watcher and The Comet, they’ve been going from strength to strength with their affecting acoustic melodies. Front man Shane O’ Fearghail answered the following questions for me.. Many musicians find recording an album, particularly their debut, a challenging and draining experience. Did this prove to be true to you during the recording of The Watcher and the Comet? Recording The Watcher And The Comet was an amazing experience. It was challenging and it did take a lot out of me but it also brought an energy that was all its own. That creative spark that you get when you are in a studio. In the flow... a flow that drives you and keeps you going... so much so that food and sleep go out the window! The album was recorded in three one week sessions over three months and three full moons. It captured everthing that it was supposed to and a lot more besides! Some of your songs appear to be about specific people, are these people aware you've written songs about them or do you prefer not to let them know? Yes and no. It is not something that I would have ever thought about. The songs are written from a personal standpoint and have no agenda bar understanding how I feel about me, about life or things that keep my attention. They would be my observations... If you had to pick one song off "The Watcher and the Comet" and urge everyone to listen to it, what would it be and why? There are several in fact. "All Your Features", "Disappear" and "Satellite" would always spring to mind. "All Your Features" because it deals with the true face we hide a lot of the time and how as people we can never truly say what we mean or how we feel. "Satellite" because it is a song for personality. To express yourself. To stand up and counted! What are your plans for your next album? Have you begun writing any new songs for it? The next album is well and truly underway. We have demo'd most of the tracks and are almost at the cut stage - as to what tracks will make the album sessions. It's an exciting time and very different to The Watcher sessions. A lot of the songs are being written in the studio. Some of the songs have been written between the two albums whilst others written in preparation for the new sessions! I am writing constantly. Who is your biggest musical influence? Irish writers and those who write strong songs. People who are not afraid to write about the subjects that people shy away from. Good melodies. There is no 'one' influence. It would have to be the 'song' itself! What's been your best experience in Caruso in 2009? Our European Tour 2009. And what are Caruso's plans for 2010? More European tours, festivals and the new album. Pushing Caruso in new European territories notably Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Hopefully get to New Zealand for an acoustic tour. Aideen O'Flaherty More ... Aideen O'Flaherty Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:53 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/54/The-Beat-Poets#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=54 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=54&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/54/The-Beat-Poets Northern Ireland’s finest The Beat Poets release their new EP “The Making” this week (See in Album Reviews Section). I caught up with them recently to discuss their desire for world domination. I first encountered you guys in 2004 when I think you were starting out, what have you been up to since? At that time several of us were in a different band, in May 2005 we launched ‘The Beat Poets’. Since then it has been a lot of hard work mixed with some excellent experiences; supporting acts such as supporting Sonic Youth at outdoor festivals, playing in Canada, America (including SXSW 2009), UK tours and releasing records. 
 Are you as a band at a stage where you know what you want to get out of the music and the direction you want to go? I think it took us a few years to find a sound, we are very critical with ourselves and we have experimented a lot over the last 4 years with different tracks, sounds, producers, studios etc. Since the start of 2009 we have been moulding the band into the sound we finally want, after SXSW in March we realised to do this would mean taking 6 months out to really concentrate on the song writing and production. Most songs we have would have several versions and we really only want our material to go out when every member of the band is happy with the same version for release. 
 
 The EP itself, 4 tracks, is it a taste of what’s on the album or a stand alone release? Where was it recorded? It was recorded with Neal Calderwood in Manor Park Studios who recently recorded the General Fiasco and FWW’s first albums. The E.P is a slight taste of what is to come on the album, the acoustic version of ‘Bloodline’ for example will be replaced by the full electric version on the album. It’s been a year since our last release, which is far too long. It was necessary to work on the direction and sound of the band but we felt that in coming back we wanted the release to be of more substance than a single. The aim was to show we were working hard at developing the band and song writing as well as giving people the chance to get their teeth into the direction the band is taking. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 In the band’s existence, have there been points where any of you thought about packing it in? Or have the years served you well through experience earned? Any band in this day that says they don’t have low points is talking S****. I don’t think I ever thought of packing it in, but there have been disappointments over the last few years. It mostly has revolved around trusting in people to work with the band that dramatically let you down. Hence why we’re happy for the time being to self-release and work campaigns ourselves. We definitely have developed thick skins over the last few years and I find any knocks a lot easier to deal with.  In this game and no matter what level you’re at it is inevitable that there will be a few. 
 
 The current exposure both on MTV and the BBC, does it feel like the start of something big? As a band do you feel the next 12 months are make or break? It’s impossible to tell, as with the last question I think in developing thick skins and gaining experience in this industry we have calmed down substantially compared to the poets first few years. Our aim now is to enjoy playing and recording music. We have started to develop our own label and have a great marketing team in London called Absolute that work with Dave Matthews, Imogen Heap etc and our records are distributed by Universal. We can release at will and this control means technically we don’t need a record label to get the music out there digitally or physically. We have great contacts with MTV and other licensing bodies from our trips to the UK, Canada and London and actually have sealed all these deals ourselves without management, publishers or a label. Off course we would love the financial input of a major or significant indie to help push the band more but rather than hopefully wait until they come along we have decided from now on to take the initiative ourselves and see what happens. 
 
 There is an earnest sort of desire that is conveyed in the music, do you see yourselves like that? As a sort of an honest group who want to achieve for themselves? You don’t buy into the pop star element at all? We have a reputation as a very DIY outfit and rightly so as outlined in the last question. Since I was a kid I loved the old school approach to music; the gigging like crazy to earn your trade, forming a band with mates, working your ass off to getting enough money to buy a new guitar. I think this approach gains much more longevity and respect than the pop star one. I do see the appeal of the pop star approach for boy bands and solo artists and while I would indulge with guilty pleasure to a laugh at the X-factor on a Saturday night, it’s a route to success I would never consider. 
 U2 are the obvious inspiration though personally I heard elements of Embrace (when they are good!) and actually The Verve. Am I off the mark altogether?? I would agree that we are inspired by U2, they would be in my top 5 acts for definite. I do like the Verve and some older Embrace songs but they’re not bands I have followed over the years. The bands I find most inspiring are The Doors, Pearl Jam, KOL, Oasis, REM, U2, RHCP, Gaslight Anthem etc. What’s the plans for the immediate future with regard to touring and dates etc? We plan to do major Irish touring and release the E.P in further afield in the new year. To initially promote this release we decided to do three selective shows; The Spring and Airbrake in Belfast on December 3rd; Whelan’s in Dublin on December 10th and finally a hometown show in ‘The Square Peg’ in Warrenpoint on Dec 12th. The E.P campaign will run through until the end of January when we’ll announce the next single which should be out at the end of February. 2010 is when we plan on bringing the show to the road with more new material. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:54 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/55/Joe-Echo#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=55 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=55&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/55/Joe-Echo Musician Ciaran Gribbin (aka Joe Echo) is embarking on a solo career after a successful stint with acclaimed NI band Leya. He’s recorded with Paul Oakenfold, he’s written tracks for soundtrack for a movie starring Emily Blunt; and has a solo album in the offing in 2010. Oh, and he’s opened for Snow Patrol, Franz Ferdinand, James Morrison and Paolo Nutini amongst others! He’s only going to get bigger, CLUAS were lucky enough to grab a few words with him recently. 
 A critically acclaimed album with a great band and incredible voyage supporting some of the world’s biggest acts; it’s a lot to give up on and go it alone. Were you nervous at all about going solo? I was a little nervous going out on my own; I’d been so used to being in a band with really good friends. We had so many good times but Leya had simply run out of steam. So we all agreed to call it a day. Going solo gave me the freedom to try outs so many different musical ideas and directions and im really loving it. 
 Has the intention to go solo been a contentious issue for you? Did you start out playing music with the intention go write and play alone? Or was it something that developed in your time in Leya? It was a natural progression. I have always written music from a young age so it was no surprise that I wanted to continue with music. The Joe Echo project for me is all about pushing myself into new avenues. Im dabbling with dance music, traditional music and writing for Films. I like to keep all the options open. With over 80 gigs done since leaving the band, and numerous writing collaborations and releases with lots of famous folk; has it been non stop? Where do you get the time to get into the studio? I’m sure at this stage I’ve done well over 150 gigs as Joe Echo including a recent first Australian tour.  I do quite a lot with a band not just solo just to keep it interesting. Every day is very full on and I sometimes wonder how we fit everything thing in. Unfortunately my first solo album is taking a bit longer than I’d hoped for but once the work on the movie I’m currently writing and producing the music for is completed my priority is to get my album finished. 2010 is looking like it’s going to be even busier now I have a new worldwide live agent, Steve Strange, who also looks after Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Eminem and others.     Would it be fair to say that the solo venture is something which you would like to generate more mainstream attention from? Or is it a case that you really want to play and write up beat more popular sounding music? Right now I’m following my instincts. I’m really fortunate to have a great team around me now including a manager that’s stuck with me for over six years and we’ve kind of grown together. I do, of course, want to generate more mainstream attention and hopefully the solo album and live shows will help me to achieve this but I’m sure I’ll always be working on a variety of things that seem to be coming my way. Life sure ain’t dull and that’s how I like it. I know I’ve still got a long way to go and feel very positive about the future and certainly won’t ever take any success I might have for granted.  
 Is it lonely up there playing without the lads from the band? Are the parties as good after the shows? No it’s never lonely up there and I know it was the right for me to move on and I’m especially happy that we’re all still great mates who I still get to do the occasional things with. Michael Keeney and I have been doing a lot together lately and he’s working with me right now co-producing this current movie music. The parties are few and far between although I must say Australia had it’s memorable moments and a late night or three….. Have you got a concrete release date for the album? Or is it a case of tracks keep getting added to the potential list? I have around seventeen tracks in various stages of completion to choose from and stopping there.  I’d say I’m 70% there right now with recording and reckon it’ll take me about a month to get to a finished album once I get back on it in Jan/Feb. No concrete date is set but we can now start to make positive plans for release. We’ll be ready very soon to start playing to the industry and everyone and then decide on how, when and with who it’s released through. Maybe I’ll even bring in a producer/mixer or two to look at what I’ve done. I’m not going to be precious about it if there’s any way of improving the finished album. 
 What would you like for 2010? What musically would give you the best form of vindication for going solo? Or do you feel so already? I’m looking forward to 2010 with a mixture of anticipation and excitement now I have a great team that believes in what Joe Echo is all about. I guess a positive response to my album and growing audiences who enjoy my live shows would be a kind of vindication although I believe if I can continue to enjoy what I’m doing I’ll have a reasonable chance of improving and succeeding in what is an increasingly tough business for any new artist to be in.  Kevin Coleman Joe Echo plays the following Irish gigs at the tail end of 2009:  The Academy 2, Dublin (17 December 2009) Auntie Annies, Belfast (18 December 2009) More ... Kevin Coleman Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:55 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/56/The-Flaws#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=56 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=56&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/56/The-Flaws Successful Irish band The Flaws have been in hibernation since their tour for their first album, Achieving Vagueness. This summer, they performed at a number of festivals, and released a single, 'I Don't Wanna Dance'. Now, they're preparing to release their yet-to-be-named second album. Here the ultra-modest Paul Finn, lead singer and guitarist, talks with Cluas. Your first album was very successful - do you find that expectations for this album are high? No, not at all, I don't think that anyone would really care if we ever released an album again! You've been working on your second album - what's it about? We started just writing songs aimlessly, and then we thought it might be more exciting to give the album a theme. The theme started out being based around the phrase 'peace and quiet', and it changed as the songs developed, into something else, which we're keeping under wraps until the album is a go. It's a very strong album thematically, and I think it'll be a nice surprise, once people get into it. Tell us about your latest single, 'I Don't Wanna Dance'. A lot of people are asking at the moment if this the first single from the new album. We haven't said yes or no, but it looks like it's not going to fit on the new album. It's like the song 'Sixteen', in that it's got a very dark verse, and very poppy on the chorus. It's just a pop song, there's not a whole lot going on. It won't fit on our album, which I'm kind of relieved about, I think the album will work a lot better because of it, not because it's a bad song, it's just that it will work as a good album without that song. Do you have a favourite gig? We did a show after the first album, in Whelan's, and we did an encore, the last song on the album, 'Windmill Talent'. We were all blown away by the fact that everyone knew the words of it. Do you prefer to be on tour, or recording? Recording, definitely, I love the process of it, I love being creative like that. We all do, we love trying to perfect everything to the last detail. We're perfectionists at heart, and in a live setting it's hard to get everything perfect. It's much easier in the controlled environment of a studio. Do you live the rock and roll lifestyle? Not at all, in any way. Total nerd. I think if I was wealthy, then maybe I would live the rock and roll lifestyle, but not at the moment! Tell me about your creative process - do the lyrics inspire the music, or vice versa? It's usually the lyrics, that come afterwards, the actual song structure could come from any one of us, and after that it goes through the process of being played in the band room, and usually some kind of ad lib melody will formulate along the way. After that, it'll either continue on to the jamming stage, or just disintegrate and never become anything. And if it moves on from there, we'll usually end up recording another demo here, before we record it for the album. You've been compared to the Smiths and The Cure, but what sort of music do you listen to? Obviously Shane, our guitarist, was a huge Smiths fan, and a huge Cure fan. I'm a big fan of the Broken Social Scene, and Feist, I like Animal Collective, and at the moment I love that new Girls album. I will listen to anything that's in any way good, and in any way not generic. You recorded an Echo and the Bunnymen cover for Sparks N' Mind, a charity album, what's that about? Great tune. We had been playing it live for about four of five months, and we actually recorded a demo of it, and then we were asked to put a song in for Sparks N' Mind, and it just made sense, we played it well, and we had already been thinking of releasing it as a B-side. And it really sounds great. It's also the first time me and Dane really sing together on the one track, which was pretty cool. What do you think about illegal file-sharing? There's nobody who's innocent, there's nobody who's never downloaded an album, who's never illegally got a song off somebody, but I recently found the application Spotify, and I'm a subscriber to that. Although there's absolutely nothing illegal about it, it feels wrong, because the service is so good. It's all totally legit, and I've payed my E9.99 a month, and you can just listen through the infinite amount of tracks, and find the most obscure things in the world. It feels so wrong. It feels more illegal that actually downloading a song, because there's so much there. Obviously I'm in a band, and I'd love to make some money, and we'll never make money if people download our music, but on the other hand, this thing Spotify and applications like it will change the way people listen to music. I know it's not free in Ireland anymore, but if somebody actually tried Spotify, they'd never download an album again. Are you interested in any of your contemporaries? Well, we have a lot of friends, we know pretty much every band in Ireland, I went to college with Kieran from Delorentos for a year, before either band had done anything. The first night we went out for a drink with him, we went to a strip club! I didn't see him for six months after that, but when I did see him, we just got along, and we still do. He's a good friend, so I'd like to see them doing well. I'm a great friend of David Marne, and all of the band Sanskrit, who only live down the road from me. It's tremendous to see all the great reviews that their album, After the Wedding, is getting. Within the band, Dane's great friends with Ham Sandwich, and we met Eoin from Director last night at a show we were doing. Everyone can do what they want, but I don't think anyone's doing the same thing as us, and certainly no-one has done what we're going to do on this album. So there's no competition, and it's all very pally, at the moment! Is the future of Irish music bright? Yes, if people support it. It does get a lot of support, but it's not supported enough by the people who buy records. There is a problem that the wind blows from England to Ireland, and never the other way, and whereas everyone could tell you who La Roux was, nobody could tell you who Ham Sandwich was. So I think we need to support it a little bit more. There are certainly problems with it, but it will get better. Coke or Pepsi? That's mental! I had a bottle of Pepsi yesterday for the first time in two, three years! I was thinking, 'Jesus, why don't I drink this more often?' The shop beside me doesn't sell it, and there's always Coke in the house, but I was well impressed. So I'm definitely a Coke guy, but I'm still partial to Pepsi. Philip McDonald The Flaws are performing at the Academy on the 6th and the 18th of December. www.theflaws.com www.myspace.com/theflaws More ... Philip McDonnell Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:56 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/57/Frank-Turner-Voice-of-the-every-man#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=57 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=57&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/57/Frank-Turner-Voice-of-the-every-man Interview with Frank Turner, formerly of Million Dead Although Frank Turner is a well known singer/song writer in certain circles of music fans, he has in no way been affected by his fame. Leading the way up to his dressing room in The Academy, Dublin City, he made small talk and confessed that he is "a fan of peace and quiet."  Turner kicked off his U.K and Ireland tour in Dublin on October 13th, a tour which consisted of 16 dates. He's has just finished touring with The Offspring in the U.S. promoting his current album Poetry of the Deed and he has a reputation of being dedicated to being on the road. The singer spoke overtly about his gigging, saying he believes it is his duty to perform to the best of his abilities for his loyal fans: "I see myself as being an entertainer, above and beyond anything else, and my job is to get up on stage and make the people, who pay to come to the show, have a really good time." He likes to think of himself as somewhat of an anti-rock star, in that, although he has just released his third album to critical acclaim, he doesn't feel that he has a license to become a typical chauvinist rock star who has become consumed by the stereotypical music luminary: "If I'm not doing that…and I'm just sitting around my home and being an artiste," he says with ironic humour, "and being fed grapes by women in togas, then I'm not being what I want to be, or who I want to be."  It appears to be Turner's musical background that has created this philosophy. He was a member of post-hardcore band Million Dead, which enjoyed reasonable success between 2001 and 2005.  Speaking honestly about the experience, he feels that although the time spend with Million Dead was valuable, it was also unpleasant: "Million Dead was a very intense experience, we didn't have very much fun! We were hyper-self critical. It's not really surprising that we sort of hated each other after four years of that." When comparing his solo experience with his time with the band, he remarks upon the different temperaments he has come across with underlying jesting: " If somebody screws up now… we'll just have a laugh, while if somebody screwed up then there would be death stares for the entire gig, and then we'd go back to the dressing room and someone would be hit."  Now many music aficionados adore him as the voice of the every-man. He has accumulated a large amount of loyal fans, but Frank himself is very humble with regard to his cult status: "sometimes I feel like if I sit down and analyse why the people who like me, like me, it will just crumble." Rubbing his face in apparent nervousness he seems to recoil at the term "hero", showing his modest character in it's most genuine form. He laughs as he tries to scrutinise the notion, finally deciding that it's simply "better than being a cult failure." The musician agrees that the down-to-earth sentiments within his songs may lend to the offbeat heroism with which he has been affiliated. However he also declares that he writes the lyrics to suit his own ability to bear the song: "If I write a song that's going to be in my set, I'm going to play it an awful lot, so it has to be something that I can be bothered about for more than five minutes." Unfortunately however Turner's undeniable talent for lyricism is not the reason his name has been mentioned on certain websites and in certain publications. In August, Frank updated his blog, commenting on how file-sharing effects people in his position and he is now being somewhat involuntarily involved in the tired subject of file-sharing which is headed by the likes of Lily Allen and Tom Smith of The Editors. At the moment Frank is trying to digress from the situation, but cannot help but be a little peeved by the notion that some individuals feel they have some kind of right to free music: "People are talking about stuff that they don't understand." he points out gravely, "I don't go into to hospitals and tell them how to run things, because I don't know how that works. I do know how being a musician works... and you get kids who live with their parents telling me how I should run my business and it's kind of like; 'how about you go f**k yourself?' " Not only did he receive death threats for his comments, but he also worries that his future successes may be determined by the management of illegal file-sharing.  Aside from his worries with regard to file-sharing, Frank Turner seems to be excited by the prospects that lie ahead of him. Unsurprisingly there are yet more tour-dates to come for Frank Turner in the US and Australia. Although the touring is somewhat a given for the hardworking musician, he divulges his unexpected plans for his next recording venture, a compilation of traditional English folk songs: "I really want to do a record of English folk music. I'm English and I grew up not knowing anything about English folk music. I knew none of the words, or the melodies. There all about f***ing and death at the end of the day so it should be good fun." He seems amused by his reasons for planning this stop-gap album and undoubtedly his fans will be just as entertained by the concept.  Frank Turner is just an ordinary man, who happened to find fame through hard work. He advises anyone who is aiming to break out of their local scene to do the same: "This is hard graft, it's very unlikely that you're going to get rich, but what you might do is have the incredible privilege of doing something that you love doing for a living. It's a rarity in life and it's something that I'm lucky to be able to do. The thing is to just love what you do and work really hard." Claire Kane More ... Claire Kane Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:57 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/58/Yes-Cadets#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=58 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=58&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/58/Yes-Cadets I recently caught up with up and coming Belfast electro pop foursome Yes Cadets prior to their performance at the HWCH festival in Dublin. Yes Cadets were only formed last summer but in a short space of time have been causing quite a stir. A single, EP and an Oxygen performance later as well as wide spread airplay sees their star in the ascendance. Here is what they had to say.   You guys formed over last year, were you friends before? How did you come up with the concept of the band? We’ve all known each other for a good while, meeting initially a couple of years ago in the murky underbelly of the Belfast music scene. It was only last year that we decided to form the band that we always wanted to be in and to play the music we always wanted to play.    Why the obsession with Canada?     Well, it’s only really an obsession when it comes to Canadian rock music. Bands like Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire and Tokyo Police Club were very high on the Yes Cadets play list in the early days of the band and it seemed at that time the best music in the world was coming out of Canada. Don’t get me started on Rufus Wainwright either! As far as ‘Canada’ the single goes, I’ll just say that I know a few Canadians…   Are you fearful that the market at the moment sort of swarmed with retrospective electro pop /rock groups? Or is it a good thing that there is so much interest in this area of music at the moment? I can see how it would be easy to be lost in the crowd at the moment but I do think we cover more genres and have a broader appeal than a lot of contemporary electro-pop. The fact that we can be classified with music that’s en vogue at the moment can only be a good thing, but it’s not necessarily intentional. We’re just writing the stuff that comes most naturally to us.   Where did you record the EP? Was it a long process or was it just a case of get in, get out and get the record out?  We recorded the EP in Start Together studios in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, a great little studio packed to the rafters with awesome vintage equipment. We spent weeks recording, pouring over every synth sound and guitar track. We were never any less than totally focused but I guess when you have that kind of beautiful equipment at your disposal it’s easy to lose a lot of time.   I see the EP was self released, yet you seem to have admirers in the BBC and beyond, has there been much interest in signing? The initial reaction to us has been really encouraging, both in the local media and further afield, but I think it would be easy to rest on our laurels. The trick now is to keep the momentum going. We’ve been chatting to a couple of great independent labels about recording an album soon and the wheels should start turning in the next month or so, fingers crossed.   How many songs have you in the can for an album? Or are you constantly writing? The album material is being written pretty much from scratch and when we’ve finished touring the EP we’ll hunker down and really get stuck into the process. I think an album needs to have a fluid; cohesive feel to it and you can’t capture that from bits and pieces written and recorded here and there over time. It’s going to be a great pop record but definitely a little more experimental around the edges. No wizards hats yet though, we’re saving those for the sophomore!   Tell us about the plans for the tour in the winter, where will you be playing? Everywhere really, there are shows booked all over England, Ireland and Scotland between now and the spring, peppered with a couple of exciting Belfast dates. We have a couple of great London shows coming up and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the scene there compares with what we’re used to up here.   If you could have one thing guaranteed for the band in 2010 what would it be? The goal is to be touring an album with management and a label behind us by this time next year. I guess that’s more than one thing though! Either way, the coming year is fast becoming a really exciting prospect for us.        www.yescadets.com   Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:58 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/59/General-Fiasco#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=59 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=59&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/59/General-Fiasco General Fiasco, consisting of brothers Owen and Enda Strathern and school friend Stephen "Leaky" Leacock, have been setting the Northern Irish music scene alight for the past twelve months. Having already toured with One Night Only and Snow Patrol, and a certain Gary Lightbody singing their praises, this band is destined for big things. Lead singer and bassist Owen answered a few questions for me.. Do you have a specific method for songwriting? Is it usually lyrics first then music or vice versa? It usually happens all at once, I'll just sit with the bass or a guitar and start playing. The chords and melody come together and sometimes the lyrics too, they generally write themselves. Songs just come, when it works it's good and then at other times you cant squeeze out anything. I guess it's to do with mood or whatever, you need a little something driving the song - a stress or a worry.... or maybe something positive if you are that way inclined. What are your plans as regards an album? To make a great introduction to the band, to get across what we are about and also try and include where we are going, to stay true to what got people interested in the band in the first place and a little of where we might go with the next. We really want to stuff it with great tunes but I guess that's up to other people to decide. We've got a lot of material ready for it and we are happy but we've a little more time to make something special, so lets hope we do. Having been support to both One Night Only and Snow Patrol you're certainly no strangers to the big stage, have you ever had a particularly nerve-wracking gig? The Snow Patrol gig was insane, I can't really remember being on stage - I think I must have blacked out and went into auto-pilot! I was really nervous playing a festival back home called Glasgowbury, we were on second last and there were about 2,000 people there - a home crowd. I'm not really sure why it got to me but it did, I think it must just be the home crowd.  .... and what's been your best gig experience? There's been loads - opening the John Peel stage at Glasto this year, playing with Placebo in London, the Snow Patrol gig. But nothing really beats a headline show when it's rammed and everyone is there for you and knows the words. That's exciting, that's when it really feels like it's working. How would you best describe your live show? It's energetic, fast and aggressive but good fun. It should be lively, we should give it as much as the crowd gives - it's only fair. At present there is a burgeoning music scene in Northern Ireland, did you find it hard to 'break out' of the North? I don't really think so, you can never really do these things yourself. I know everyone wants to believe that if you just work hard and push your band out there things will happen, but it still takes someone booking you to play somewhere else. People have to want to write about you and want to play your songs on the radio for things to start to break. We were really fortunate that some people really got into the band and wanted to help it happen, so it was kinda easy but it took other people getting behind it to make it happen. Any ultimate goals? (i.e. magazine covers, playing with a specific band..) We really would love the album to be well recieved, if people can get into it and come to our shows and pick up our record I guess that's what it's all about. Sure, it would be amazing to be on the front cover of every music magazine and tour with the Foo Fighters, but we just really want to do this for a long time. And we hope you continue doing this for a long time..     * General Fiasco play the Ulster Hall in Belfast on the 31st of October. Aideen O'Flaherty More ... Aideen O'Flaherty Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:59 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/60/Casiotone-for-the-Painfully-Alone#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=60 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=60&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/60/Casiotone-for-the-Painfully-Alone Owen Ashworth began recording as Casiotone For The Painfully Alone in 1999. His unique songwriting has spawned 5 albums over those years and he has steadily grown in popularity. I caught up with him on his North American tour to ask him some questions. Did you enjoy your brief stop off in Vancouver? Did you get any time for sight-seeing? I never made it to Vancouver, unfortunately.  I got in a car accident on I-5, just north of Seattle.  My car was wrecked and I spent the night of the Vancouver show in a Travelodge in Everett, Washington.  I walked to a 7-Eleven and bought a beer and some Sun Chips and then laid in bed listening to a Seattle talk radio program called Too Beautiful To Live on the motel clock radio.   You're about half way through your North American tour. How has it gone so far? I'm home now, and other than the car accident, I think the tour went pretty well.  I felt very good about most of the shows, and enjoyed playing solo more than I have in a while.  I loved having the new songs to play.  For a few weeks I was touring with a band called Cryptacize, and that was a great time.  I really like their music and they are wonderful people to boot.  For the last week or so I was touring with my brother Gordon, which is always a lot of fun.  Gordon was playing solo sets as Concern.  I like the new Concern album a lot and his sets were pretty awe inspiring.  We've done a lot of touring together at this point. Are you happy about how Vs Children turned out? The album yet again was received well by the press. Does it annoy you at times that commercial success and critical acclaim do not always go hand in hand? I really like Vs. Children.  I wish I'd mixed a few of the songs differently, and I regret a few word choices, but that always happens.  Of all of the albums I've made, it's the one that I feel the most proud of, and it's the album that I feel the best represented by.  There were some very nice reviews, which I definitely appreciated, but the album didn't really get the reaction that my label had really hoped for or expected.  I guess it's been selling about as well as the last one, and that's just fine by me.  I'm grateful that some people have been able to connect with the new songs.  It makes me excited to get going on the next one.  As long as I'm making music that I enjoy listening to, I'll keep on doing it. In the past decade, what has been your proudest moment? There has been a lot of pride talk in this interview, hasn't there?  I don't know about a proudest moment.  Moments are tough.  I take some pride in looking back over months or even years of work and seeing the distance I've covered.  There have been times when a new song is coming together where I suddenly realize the potential in what I'm working on, and those moments are really exciting.  I think I tend to enjoy being in the middle of those experiences more than the stepping back and dusting my hands off, so to speak.  Okay, no more being proud for a while, okay? As Casiotone For The Painfully Alone you are very distinctive in both your music and lyrics, using cheap keyboards and frank lyrics. What inspired you to take this approach? I have always responded to music that feels direct and vulnerable and maybe a little rough.  I like things to feel kind of claustrophobic.  Do you know that Harry Nilsson song, "Early In The Morning?"  I just heard it for the first time a few years ago, but man do I like that song.  My friend Tyson played it for me.  It's just the right amount of uncomfortable, and it just lets you in this really personal kind of way.  I like that.  I wish I had heard that song before I started this band, because it would have been a really easy thing to point to as a direct line of inspiration. Etiquette saw a slight departure from the direction previously shown from Casiotone, a direction that was continued on your latest record. What initiated this change? I had used up most of my favorite Casio pre-sets, and it just felt like time for something new.  Different challenges, new sounds, more expensive equipment. Where did the name Casiotone For The Painfully Alone come from? It is a rather 'emo' sounding name. Have you had any trouble with misguided teenagers turning up at gigs? Back when I was only letting my close friends hear my songs, before it occurred to me that my music was supposed to be called something, I made a tape for a friend who had requested some extra sad keyboard music.  I had this little piece of music as my outgoing answering machine message, and she called and heard it and liked it and asked to hear some more of it.  So I made her a tape, and I wrote Casiotone for the Painfully Alone on the tape, just to describe the music on it.  She thought it would be a good idea if I started playing shows, so she put Casiotone for the Painfully Alone on the flyer of a show she was putting together, and the next thing I knew, my band had a name and I was supposed to play a show.  Surprise surprise.  I've had no trouble with misguided teenagers whatsoever.  I am happy to welcome any anf all misguided teenagers to my shows. You were doing a film making course before you turned to songwriting. Do you think that this has influenced your story-telling tendency in your music? Maybe at first but I've been writing songs for a long time now.  I don't know if anything influences my songwriting more than other songwriting.  I hear John Prine and all I want to do is go write songs. Finally, other than your own of course, what has been your favourite album of the year so far? I like the new Mount Eerie album a lot. There are some unbelievable sounds happening on that album.  Truth & Distance by Concern is another big big favorite.  Little Brother drones hard. Garrett Cleland More ... Garret Cleland Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:60 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/61/Pains-of-Being-Pure-At-Heart#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=61 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=61&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/61/Pains-of-Being-Pure-At-Heart Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have being creating waves in the indie scene since they released their debut EP last year. Their fuzzy indie pop has proven infectious and their debut eponymous album is amongst my favourite records of the year. I chatted to them during their tour of North America to see how things have gone so far, and what plans they had for the future. How are you doing? Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Did you enjoy your time in Vancouver? Things are great! We had a pretty awesome time in Vancouver - there was a rowdy crowd, which made things extra fun. How did the band get together? We were all friends first, and would hang out a lot and geek out about music.  We formed to play at Peggy's birthday party, though at the time it was just me, Alex and Peggy with an iPod on drums. We played about 5 songs with 4 chords in 10 minutes. It may have been really bad, but we had so much fun we didn't notice. When you were beginning in New York it must have been difficult. It is a city full of bands and musicians. Was it difficult to prove yourself to be better than your peers or did it drive competition to make you better? Well, we're not really competitive or anything-- sort of the opposite, actually. We genuinely love so many bands that live around here, like Crystal Stilts, caUSE co-Motion, Vivian Girls, My Teenage Stride, Zaza, The Beets, Chairlift, etc.  To us, we just found it inspiring to be in a city with so much going on creatively, and that made us want to do the best we could. Many people have commented that TPOBPAH's sound reminds them of bands such as The Jesus And The Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and the C86 scene. Were bands such as these your influences or are these reference points off the mark? It's super flattering to get compared to those iconic bands, but we're not really that cool. I watch videos of JAMC, and they're just so cool - we're not really as awesome as that. But it never bothers us if people want to associate us with such amazing artists from the past. The band name is quite prosaic. Where did it come from? Did anybody try to pressurise you into changing it into something more marketable? The band name is taken from the title of a short children's story written by a friend of mine in Portland, OR. He's a bit of a character, but means well. We had the name before we really even had songs - it seems to fit us very well. You played Whelan's in Dublin when you supported The Wedding Present last year, didn't you? How did you find playing Ireland as an experience? We REALLY liked Ireland. It's a place we'd never traveled to before, and it was just so welcoming and nice. All the people were so supportive and cool and would take us out for drinks after the shows. We definitely want to come back! Are you planning to play Ireland again anytime soon? I'd really like to, but i don't think we'll have any Irish dates for a while. How did the tour with The Wedding Present come about? How was it? We were pretty flattered that we got asked to support them, it was super amazing to be able to tour with such a deservedly legendary band. I have no rock'n'roll antics to report - they were very down to earth, kind and dedicated to what they do. They had no shortage of good songs to choose from in their set. It was a great time all around. Their fans were amazing too. Your debut album has garnered a lot of critical praise. Did this come as a surprise to you? Yes, it was definitely quite the surprise. Most of the bands we loved growing up were never all that well known-- it was a shock that anyone besides a handful of people were into this kind of music. We're pretty grateful for that, and realize it's kind of illogical - but awesome. Has the 'buzz' around the band affected anyone in the band yet? How have you handled it? Haha, no. I really haven't noticed anything weird or different - our VH1 Behind the Music episode is going to be pretty boring. You are currently touring the debut album in North America. How has your tour gone so far? We've done a about 6 week of touring in the US this year up to now, but we have our first month long national tour this September. America is huge, and we're playing 30 more dates and still not going everywhere.  We're really excited about it, though Arizona and Texas can be pretty hot in the summer time... I guess we'll have to eat a lot of ice cream. My grandma, realizing this, got the band some Dairy Queen gift cards. Basically, my Grandma rules a lot!!! What does the rest of 2009 have in store for The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart? We have a national US tour to support the release of our new EP, Higher Than the Stars. Then we're coming back to Spain, France, England and Scotland for a few more dates in November and December. When that's all through we'll start working on our next album, which we're all really looking forward to. Garrett Cleland More ... Garret Cleland Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:61 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/62/Gaggle#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=62 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=62&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/62/Gaggle Gaggle, a 22-piece London based female choir, creatively infuse powerful, fast paced evocative music with an almost intimidating air. Though Gaggle are only new on the scene, fronted by Coughlin formerly of 586, these girls definitely know what they’re doing, and it's not to be missed... Where’d the idea for Gaggle originally come from? People who know me well know that Gaggle is the only logical outcome of my interests and talents. There's more music than ever, more bands, more myspace, everyone is in a band but most of them are just boring, ineffectual, limp splutters into space. I wanted my next music project to be powerful, warrior style burst of excitement, strangeness and something to annoy people who dream of being Johnny Borrell.  I couldn't think of anything more powerful than 22 scary, smart women in evil monk-hoodies stomping and chanting about what it's like being a drunk, or being lied to, or the disappointment of being politically apathetic. You all seem to be quite a diverse bunch of people, how did you get to meeting each other? Some of us have been friends since childhood, some of us have worked for others, snogged each other, got drunk in the George Tavern - our spiritual home.  Every gaggle is unique and brilliant,  each with their own super power.  No one was auditioned for Gaggle. In fact I found out the other day that Kumari had practiced some audition pieces, she hadn't imagined she would walk into a strange theatre, be greeted by a dozen women oh oh-ing and me grabbing her arm, pulling her into the middle of them all and shouting "just do the oh-ohs".  I don't think we even said hello. It was obvious form the beginning she was a Gaggle - and that's the same with all of them.   Does it ever get difficult having such a large amount of people? We have a large number of people because it's difficult with a small number. We can do gigs if 3 people are in bed with swine flu, hardly any other act can do that! Surely there must be some tension? Yep. I would be worried if there wasn't. Coughlin, while you were in 586 you shared a stage with 4 other people. How does it compare to sharing a stage with 21 others? I conduct and direct Gaggle in live shows. I have my back to the audience most of the time. It's amazing - it's like playing the biggest, wildest, loudest instrument in the the world... one with 21 minds of its own and 21 voices. They are a force to be reckoned with. Will there ever be a 23rd member? Will Gaggle be ever-growing or is it now settled? For now we are settled, but we have an ever growing waiting list. We will do something about this. We have plans - good ones. You wear some alternative clothing, where’d the idea for that come from? Gaggle isn't about women competing on normal levels, it is the opposite of ego-manic vanity. And a place to change the way in which people can judge us. We have a uniform like any army, religion or postman -- we are Gaggle and we are different, together.   Who are your main influences? Too long to list. There's a lot of creativity and culture and learnedness in Gaggle. Other all-girl projects we love and have loved include Iceland's Wunderbrass and Weird Girls, Wunderbrass first toured as Bjork's army of brass and the latter is a brilliant visual/video arts cult lead by Kitty Von Sometime. Then there's everything from Spare Rib magazine to the Slits, to Jazz Domino's Shoreditch Sisters WI. If you want to know about the music that has influenced our sound I write lots of it with a chap called Simon Dempsey (also from 586) and we range in tastes from Micachu to Dizee Rascal to slave songs to minimal house. Gaggle love a bit of Spotify and if you were to leave us alone with it we will get through Bavarian Choirs, La Lupe, Courtney Love, Take That and Selfish Cunt in the first 20mins. What can we expect from Gaggle in the future? More. Much more. Gaggle gigs. Gaggle records. Gaggle blogs. Gaggle clothes. Gaggle books.  Gaggle schools. Gaggle dance. Gaggle ready meals. Gaggle driving schools. Gaggle cocktail.  Ronald McGaggle. Cirque de Gaggle.  War on Gaggle...  stuff like that.    If you could describe your music in three words, what’d they be? Come and listen.     * You can listen to Gaggle's music at www.myspace.com/gagglespace Aideen O'Flaherty More ... Aideen O'Flaherty Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:62 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/63/Pocket-Promise#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=63 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=63&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/63/Pocket-Promise Being play-listed on BBC Radio One, an album recorded in France with a top class producer (David Odlum- The Frames, Gemma Hayes), glowing critical praise; after eight years together Pocket Promise are starting to realise some of their promise. Cluas.com caught up with Belfast based indie ban on the week they released their debut album I’ve been here for ages. Firstly, congratulations on the album release. The band has been together a long time, were you nervous about finally getting the record out there? Thanks! Yeah, definitely there's always going to be a certain amount of apprehension and nerves when releasing something, but it's completely overshadowed by the sense of achievement, pride and relief at getting the finished product finished and out into the public. We've been working so hard with promoting the album and letting everyone know what we're doing that we haven't had a chance to enter into any kind of feelings of fear. We feel like this was the right time to do this and we're very pleased that it's been well received. Is the record a collection of entirely new material, or a balance between songs you’ve had for a while and new stuff? The record has a bit of a balance of both. We finished the recording process of the album around the end of September 2007, so even since then we've developed a lot of 'newer' songs. A lot of material on the album was written right before we went to record so the songs are still new to us and most of our followers. The recording process itself really influenced the style of music we have created since and it also helped to develop more avenues with the older songs. We've a few songs which we've written in the last few months that we are already thinking about recording. We'll leave it a month or two yet though - the focus right now is ...Ages. Pocket Promise have been together almost eight years, have you had moments where you all think, “Is this going to go anywhere?” Constantly! It's natural that we would have highs and lows throughout our time together and 8 years is a long time for anyone. We've worked so hard at trying to achieve a career in music as a band because we truly believe in what we're doing. We love making music and we love that a lot of people like what we do. We'd be foolish to pretend we don't get doubts. We're lucky that our faith in what we're doing has kept us together and we're thankful for the support we've received from those around us. We're still just cracking the surface at the minute. There are so many people out there who have yet to hear about us and what we do - we have faith that it is all going somewhere and that we can get the music to the ears of those people. You moved to London for a period a number of years ago. Did you as a band find the environment much different? Yes, definitely London was different. It's a self sustaining world of it's own. It's incredibly vast in so many respects especially in the artistic scenes that exist there. When we moved there, we came in on the whole Libertines boom (Pete Doherty himself was actually at our first London gig in the Dublin Castle) so the mood at the time in the music scene was one of Pete lookalikes and doomed, poetic mishaps with top hats and pointy shoes. It was very difficult to be seen above that whole movement. We were a million miles away with our big-to-small sounds, all heartfelt and warm. But, in saying that, we stuck at it for two years and managed to play in some of the best venues in the city. We were lucky to meet other bands who we grouped with and created our own little movement! We really enjoyed it and plan on getting back soon to play some of those venues again. A lot of groups head over and get overawed by the sheer size difference in the music “scene”, is it an easy place to get swallowed up without notice? Do you feel the experience benefited you as a band and a group of mates who play in a band? I think the experience really did us the world of good. In so many respects it influenced our album very heavily and it made us a better live band. Dragging a stage piano in and out of a packed tube on a working day, only to play to four people at a gig and then get home to bed in the small hours can be deflating at best - but as with everything that requires sticking power, it was worth it. The experience brought us closer as a band and as friends. We all lived together over there so we learned to get on with what we went over there to do and we enjoyed socialising together as well. Maybe a little too much at times! It would be very easy to get swallowed without notice because of the size of London and not knowing where to start. There is a lot of trial and error involved with becoming part of the scene there. There are a lot of venues which just aren't worth playing, a lot of promoters who aren't worth knowing and a lot of bands who really aren't in it for the same reasons you are. But then, when you want to be seen and heard, you can't really afford to turn down gigs. It's a double edged sword; we learned a lot from that experience. At what point did you decide, “Ok, its all or nothing”, and focus full time on the band? When we came back from recording in France we decided to dedicate our time one hundred percent to the band. It was a brave move and again one which definitely involved a lot of 'trial and error'. It was very difficult trying to get good gigs back in Ireland because we'd been gone for so long, but we've stuck at it and we're really starting to break through into a band to take notice of. Financially though we've still had to drop in and out of other employment to allow us to continue to fund the music. I’ve Been Here for Ages was recorded in France, with producer David Odlum (Frames, Gemma Hayes). Did the exotic venue and quality of the producer add some spice to recording and inspire you? Yes, the location was incredible. Blackbox Studios has been built and developed with the artist in mind. The area is absolutely beautiful, with truly magical scenery and a very distant serenity that allows you to totally remove yourself from the real world. We loved every minute. David himself is a great person to work with. He challenged our thoughts on the songs and made great suggestions which often changed timescales and tempos, lengths of songs, arrangements and sounds - ultimately improving everything we recorded with him. The record is being released on your own label, Stop: Go Music. Are you fearful of the difficulty in gaining exposure through independent release? It's a very tough area, in that - on one hand you have the freedom to do with your recording as you please. You have one hundred percent control. You also remain in possession of all your own material and can make the choices in regard costs and profits associated. On the other hand you've funded the album from your own pocket and taken a gamble on whether or not it will sell. We only have a certain amount of power when it comes to exposure but working with the right people has really helped us to gain further exposure. Jeff Robinson, who looks after our PR, has been instrumental in helping us to promote our release. The advantage of working with a label would be that you have on board a large number of people who have years of experience, who have built many contacts and have a much larger budget to work with. In reality we're doing this on a smaller scale, all being well one that will grow! With the imploding global economy, do you see it as a much more challenging environment to sell music and entice people to listen than, say, in the last number of years? Well, again it's a tough call. At this level, a lot depends on luck - whether or not people will listen up and start buying your music. It is definitely challenging for bands to release music, especially by themselves. But there are tools out there that can really help artists reach audiences and ultimately sell their music, particularly with respect to the ever growing number of websites people use. We can only keep working within that environment and try and discover new ways of promoting ourselves and selling our music. If we were in it for the the money though, we would have given up long ago...! It’s been an exciting year, with two single releases, the album and appearances nationwide. What’s the plan for the immediate future for Pocket Promise? It has been an exciting year and we're very happy to have come this far. Our main focus for the next while will definitely still be the album. It's our biggest achievement to date and we're hoping to keep pushing it out there. We're really hoping to record a few newly written tracks as soon as possible. We'll maybe just pop the songs on a CD and distribute them as a little EP at gigs or maybe just give the songs away via our website. We'll have to see! But that's definitely the way we would like to see the future of Pocket Promise - being productive on our own terms and getting the music to the ears of our listeners as soon as possible! Pocket Promise play Dublin at the Purty Loft in Dun Laoghaire  on 14th August.  Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:63 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/64/Adam-and-Darcie#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=64 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=64&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/64/Adam-and-Darcie   Adam and Darcie are a husband and wife team from Provo, Utah. Having released their debut The Valley Where I'm From, a couple of years ago, they recently signed to Irish record label Indiecater Records. Their new album California Trail is out on July 24th. The new album is out next week. How do you feel in relation to it and, perhaps, the public reacton to it? Confident? Nervous? A bit of both? Adam: The process of writing, recording, and producing the album was a wonderful yet demanding journey, so having it done and ready for people to hear (and hopefully enjoy) is a good place to be. I guess I'm also cautiously optimistic. These are some of the more personal songs we've released, but I hope they will resonate with others in a way that is unique and personal to them. Darcie: We've put a lot of time and emotion into the album and I'm indeed proud of it. That doesn't mean I think everyone is going to listen to it exclusively for the rest of their lives. I just have no reservations about it. I'm proud of it start to finish. How would you compare the two albums? Are you more proud of this than your first, or do you just see it as a separate entity to The Valley Where I'm From? A: They both have there own merits, but to compare them I'd say that The Valley Where I'm From was more of a collection of songs whereas I think California Trail is more of an album in the traditional sense of the word, with overarching themes and interwoven stories going on. I would also say that The Valley Where I'm From was more minimalist while California Trail was given more time in regards to production and arrangements.  D: The Valley has some definite personal highlights for me, but as an album I feel like California Trail is a more complete creature. And it's certainly a clearer reflection of where we are now in our lives. I hope as we continue to produce music, I feel the most connected to the recent project. You seem to have a revolving stage of supporting musicians. Does this ever get confusing or do they all slot seamlessly in? A: It's actually really nice in that everyone who plays with us is also a dear friend. And musically they're all very gifted so it's makes the changes fairly seamless. Sometimes the transience contributes to an energy that we'd consider a good thing. D: Anyone who has played in the band is like family, so I love the time we get to spend working with the different individuals. Most of us are still in transitional phases of life (finishing degrees, having children, pursuing careers) so no one is completely permanent, but they are all incredibly quick and intuitive musicians so the only challenge I see is not having enough parts to go around. You're being promoted in Ireland by Indiecater Records. Tell us something about the label and how your connection with them came about? A: We found out about Indiecater through our friends The Very Most. We came to find that the other bands on the label were also great and the support from Indiecater was sincere and enthusiastic. In speaking with Kevin we found that we were on the same page. He believes in the music he promotes and his the process from there is undiluted. It's also very much in line with Village Ten Collective, our label in the U.S. who share a similar approach and musical values. D: Indiecater has been really supportive of us and I feel so comfortable with Kevin on our side. His is the response I want everyone to have with the album.   Indiecater are an unusual record label in that all of their releases are digital. Is this something you approve of, or do you still hanker for the days of vinyl and cassette tapes? A: Digital releases are great in how rapidly they can broaden the reach of the music, and in that way we love it. I still appreciate physical copies, especially in regards to the artwork and the whole album experience. But I see them as options that are different and equally valid. D: I love that with a hard copy, if that's how people listen to it, they experience the album as a complete work. But the reality is, few people still use their hard copy; they just digitize it immediately and typically end up picking which songs they hear. While I hope people enjoy the songs as a related collection, I feel like digital is a beautifully practical way to do that. Being a husband and wife team while on the road, is there times where it gets slightly,(ahem), claustrophobic? A: A lot of great bands that we've had the privilege of playing with (Johan the Angel, Canoe, Drew Danburry, etc.) are actually in similar situations, with families and the like so we help each other out. D: Adam and I are pretty chill so the husband and wife dynamic never suffers but it's not always easy with kids. They deserve their space and routine. But as Adam said, it's the best when we're working with other artists who genuinely get that. And surprisingly, most do. You seem to have taken, if I may say so, a rather low budget approach to recording by committing almost everything to a laptop. In the future may you decide to go for a big studio production? A: Yeah, that's true. We also record in the spaces we live (living room, bedroom, etc.). And you can even hear our son a few times in the background on this album... it's very subtle but we don't mind its presence. I also remember the circumstances of most of the parts we recorded, and doing it in our home adds some additional meaning for me. I can see the advantages to a bigger studio production, but for now I really appreciate the creative opportunities that are afforded when you do things without major scheduling and budgeting restraints. D: For me, the main draw to a big studio production is allowing us to focus on our performances rather than the intricate art of producing. I prefer a slightly lo-fi sound to a polished one, but producing and engineering an album is its own art and it'd be brilliant to see what another mind could bring to our music. I was just wondering Darcie, if there was ever a time you got upset at the band being monikored Adam and Darcie? Did you ever throw a Paul Mcartney-esque strop and shout, "It should be called Darcie and Adam!"? D: Quite the opposite! I'm not shy, but I can get embarrassed if the focus is put on me. When I'm just singing on stage, I wish I had an instrument to hide behind. I've suggested a name with more anonymity but Adam and Darcie stuck. I truly do love to talk about our music and get to know people who like it, but I've always said I want people to love the music not me! Is there any plans to tour the album internationally? A: If the opportunity presents itself we would be ecstatic. D: As the ever worried mother, I'd really want it to be well planned so we're not crashing on the floor of someone's flat last minute. But again, as a mother I'd love nothing more than to experience Europe through our music as a family. And all our friends who've toured across the Atlantic have said that most Europeans are so warm to the music in comparison with our furrowed-browed countrymen.   What would you describe as the highlight of your career so far? What are the other ambitions you have left to fulfill? A: The highlight to me has been the reaction of the people I really care about and respect. Like when an artist I really admire praised our music. Friends and family I respect have also reacted in ways that have meant the world to me.  D: The one ambition I'm holding out for is to provide a life for our family through Adam and Darcie. But it's already so rewarding that even if our fan base never grew beyond what it is, we'd keep doing it for years to come. Releasing this album is the highlight for me. I'm just happy that this part of me will be out there for other peeps to experience.   Mark Townsend More ... Mark Townsend Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:64 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/65/Mark-Kozelek#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=65 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=65&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/65/Mark-Kozelek Aloof as ever, Mark Kozelek of Sun Kil Moon and previously Red House Painters, had a very quick word with Anna Murray ahead of his Andrew’s Lane gig this Thursday. Do you regret the demise of Red House Painters? I never saw it as a demise. Sounds a bit dramatic. Those guys are some of my best friends, and all of them are involved in Sun Kil Moon. Jerry and Phil play and travel with me on the SKM tours, and Anthony plays drums on the records. You are famous as much for rearranging other peoples' songs as for writing your own. 'Cover versions' are so often derided as being uncreative and unoriginal - what do you think of that attitude? I've talked too much on the covers thing, beat it to death. People think whatever they think about it, what can you do? You have been involved in quite a broad range of collaborations (with other musicians, labels etc) than most artists. Do you think it's important to the development of your musicianship to be involved in so many things? It doesn't really affect me as I don't involve my self in other projects in a very big way. I won't commit to anything if it’s going to eat into my own space. Has your close working relationship with Alan Sparhawk of Low and his unique aesthetic had any influence over your own work? Not in any way really. But it’s interesting to see how another artist works. Alan has a pretty hardcore work ethic, and it’s kind of fascinating for me to watch. What made you re-issue Nights of Passed Over? Long story, but the deal went sour with my book in Portugal. I wanted to put out a newer, updated version that I had some control over, that fans could find easily. Have you any interest in publishing more of your writing? Not at the moment. Most of your Sun Kil Moon albums have had a thread of narrative links. Do you think concept is important to the creation of an album? I don't really think about all that. I just record songs until there are enough for an album. Many of the songs are spread over a few years, if not more - so I’d say that I’ve never really made a concept album from a to z the way a band like Pink Floyd would go about it. Of all the records you have been involved in (writing, playing or production), do you have a favourite to listen to? Whatever the current one is. I never listen to the older records, unless I have to for some reference or something, like to remember what key the song was in. Will there be a linking thread to your live show or do you go with the flow? Usually go with the flow, which I think upsets people! Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:65 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/66/Lisa-Hannigan#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=66 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=66&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/66/Lisa-Hannigan 2009 sees the third year of one of Ireland's fastest growing and most interesting music festivals: Cork X Southwest. The August bank holiday will see picturesque Skibbereen awash with music-lovers as The Waterboys, Lisa Hannigan and Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club among many others take to the stage. Sig Doherty catches up with Lisa Hannigan. Hello Lisa, where are you this Irish summer’s morning? Currently in Galway, we had a gig in the Roisin Dubh last night and have another one tonight, so waking up in rainy Galway Now the shackles have been discarded, how are you revelling in your new found freedom as a solo performer? Great!  I have a really amazing band around me who are also my friends. It’s an absolute pleasure travelling around with these people, and the tour manager (Una Molloy) is my best mate. It just has been amazing! And we have been writing songs on the road as well, and slowly getting better at that! It’s going really grand. Sea Sew, studio wise, was put together in two weeks. How much of this would have been put down to the familiarity of working and playing with your band? We put in quite a bit of work prior to going into the studio so we were very prepared, and hadn’t really slept at all. Plus, we only really had the money for 2 weeks in the studio. So it was a case of doing quite a bit of work before the recording sessions so we were at a point where we could record in 2 weeks, which is a short space of time. There is a wide range of instruments at play on Sea Sew which adds to the depth and beauty..... Yeah, well I wanted to use slightly different instrumentation. I wanted it to sound 'crooky', and well, a bit kind of ‘rusty’,  and we hopefully managed  that by using old squeaky, broken down instruments a lot of the time! When-ever you are originally penning the songs, would have an overall sound of how you want the song to progress or does that happen later during the arranging in the studio? The songs all take a kind of different approach. Sometimes they start with a simple drum pattern, a two chord progression. So each one is kinda different from the outset and we'll let them percolate for a while, and the arrangements then get fleshed out. I try to break it down to the most basic of components and then add its back in which to me is the easiest way of constructing a song and trying to keep as much space as possible in the arrangements. It’s working fantastically well. You have just finished Glastonbury 09. With its lack of rain, and heavy weight performances from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave and Neil Young will go down as one of the great festivals of recent times. How was the experience for your good self? Ah, it was amazing! The rain was there on the Thursday night; we arrived on the Friday and missed it! We saw a little bit of Neil Young, which was great but we caught most of Bruce Springsteen which was just amazing, he is such an incredible performer! He was jumping about and running like a kid, high fiving the front row as he went. Apart from his music and singing, he just has so much energy. Great to see! Well, it gives everyone so much hope, as the Boss isn’t a kick in the ass off 60... Ah yes! He's fitter than most people I know! He always gives so much to the audience energy and time wise. Just extraordinary. You always look as though you are having such a great time on stage yourself, which in turn transcends to the audience. You see so many performers on stage, who frankly look like they’d be happier doing the ironing or unblocked the sink! I'd be like 'go get a real' job. You know, I think this is the best job in the world, it’s just the best to be able to play music to people. We just finished a gig with Josh Ritter recently, and he is the most smiley person in the world! And its infectious, everyone there has such a wonderful gig experience, everyone ends up smiling! And in turn, you're be lifted by the audience’s reaction, its lovely You have recently finished an extensive tour in the USA with Jason Mraz. Yes we did an extensive tour with him in the autumn, which comprised of 44 dates in amazing venues. It was such an incredible tour to be on playing on with my band. You know, to be playing in venues like Radio City, so it really set the bar high for ourselves! We cannot wait to get back out there touring again. What are the logistics of a tour like that for yourself and the band? Well, you have to get to the next venue independently. You could do a localised tour in a van say, but if you are criss-crossing the country and have a gig every-night you really have to be in a tour bus. We ended up staying in the tour bus for the entire tour, didn’t see hotels or motels! Physically and emotionally, an extensive tour of the states must take its toll? It's two months long and you know it could have been, but really we were all so excited to be there, so glad to be touring that the excitement carried us through the whole trip. And we just had so much fun having never toured in that way before as a band. With many long and arduous hours decamped in a tour bus, what box sets are currently on rotation to ease the boredom? On the recent American tour, we all watched Deadwood, an amazing show during the prospecting times with a lot of colourful language! Amazing show.  And as a result all of our language got pretty rough and ropey!! It actually affected all of our aesthetics, all the boys got the three piece suits and handle bar moustaches… it was just great. And we've been getting into the Wire as well. You are back doing a mini-tour with the Swell Season in August... Yeah! I cannot wait to see them play again. I'm really looking forward to those gigs. You're just backed from Glastonbury and you are booked to play the electric Picnic, have you any other festivals lined up this year? We are playing Latitude and Guildfest next week which are going to be a lot of fun. [and Cork X Southwest in August] Do you have a favourite festival? I think it would have to be the 'Picnic! I've been there every year, with the exception of the first year, and it’s just got the best atmosphere! It’s the perfect size for wandering around without thinking you have spent you whole day traipsing through mud! They put a huge effort into make it an 'other-worldly' experience, where you're leaving your normal life and going to a tiny town for a few days and really do make it a special trip as opposed to just going to see gigs. And it’s nice that’s it’s just down the road!! Hemming-stitch or back-stitch? [much laughing later] I wouldn’t know! I'm not very good at sewing at all, I've learned very roughly and shabbily. The album stitching, it’s certainly not a beautiful piece of work by any stretch of the imagination [to which we agree to disagree! Sig] Thanks Lisa for the time and we’d all like to wish you all the good luck and fortune in the future, and then some! Sig Doherty More ... Sig Doherty Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:66 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/67/Katie-Kim#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=67 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=67&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/67/Katie-Kim Interview with Waterford's Katie Kim Katie Kim is one of the many fine acts to emerge from Waterford in recent times. Her album last year, Twelve, met with a warm critical reception with Donal Dineen championing ‘Radio’ on his show and Jim Carroll dubbing it a “subtle, slow-burring magic”. Earlier this year she jetted off to Toronto, but she returned recently. She talked to Cluas to discuss Canada, the ups and downs of her career to date, and the future. So, Katie, you have been in Canada a few months at this stage. How has it been treating you? Well I was there for around 3 months. I'm back now. There’s still a big question mark looming over my head about why I went at the particular time I did. Twelve had just been released, I adored my band, I was starting to get used to the live situation and the album just started getting some really good attention. But I had been living in Ireland for a long, long time and as excited as I was about Irish music and Waterford (where I live) at the time, I needed to get out and see, experience, wake up, write, record somewhere else. So I did and I had an amazing time. But I had to be there to realise that it was like starting over all over again, which I wasn’t ready to do. I missed my band too much and the amazing people in it.  I’m actually headed over to Vancouver in a couple of months. Are there any cultural quirks that a fellow Irish traveller should be aware of? I really don’t want to generalise here but oh god yes!! The sense of humour is quite different. I've been reared in a country where taking the piss out of each other is the norm and if you can’t hack it; close the door as you leave! But I discovered this isn’t the Canadian way! Also I had to get used to fragile Canadian male emotion! The guys over there are so open about their feelings! Very Dr. Phil-like, but as I said I don’t want to generalise. They are also one of the nicest most accommodating bunch of people I've been lucky enough to encounter.  Was there anything you missed most about Ireland? Musically or otherwise? When I was there I spoke to lots of promoters and journalists who were so shocked I left Europe to come to Toronto. They just couldn’t get it! It was all:" Why did you come here?? Europe is amazing! We’ve sent all our bands over there to make money" But I suppose it’s the same wherever you go. I was too busy being wide-eyed to really miss anything to be honest. Except, of course, again, my band. When did your first love of music bloom, and musically, who or what has been the biggest influence on your music? First? Hmmmm... I would say, clichéd as it is, always: from a memory of standing on a piano in a hotel at my sister's confirmation singing 'Frère Jacques' when I was 3 to my obsession with the Sound of Music and learning every word of every musical that came out around that time to the Queen obsession, when I was 7 years old. When Freddie Mercury died, I can remember being inconsolable. Just terrible, and on and on. All of these things and all of the other things that came after influenced me and still do. Music influences me. People influence me. Art influences me. I couldn’t possible try to pin-point one biggest influence.  Have you played many gigs there yet? How does it compare to Ireland? I played 3 gigs in Toronto; one in a vintage clothing store, one in a Goth club and one with a whole heap of amazing Irish bands for Canadian Music Week. Then we went on down to New York and played down there. Everyone seemed to really enjoy them. I got amazing feedback and made a lot of new friends. But comparison-wise, it really didn’t differ much. The Irish tag was a bit more impressive over there though. As it is here with bands from abroad. In 2005 you released an album with your previous band Dae Kim on Matador. Why did we hear no more from them? I don't know. They are a seriously talented bunch of people. I believe Dae Kim is no more now. But Ian Chestnut (the guitarist) and Ellie (drummer) is now Percolator. Who are awesome! Check them out - http://www.myspace.com/percolators! Dave Grimes (original member and guitar genius) is now The Bear People, he is a one of a kind talent. Tommy Farrell (bass player) is now in a band called Fighting Spiders, and Terry Cullen is now running his own PR company called Pier 13. Terry was in the game for a long time and I suppose he needed a break. Being in that band taught me nearly everything though. I had a f*cking amazing time in Dae Kim.  You released your debut solo album last year. Were you happy with the reception it received? I'm still a bit shocked about it, because it was such a small little release. I didn’t make it awfully accessible. It being only released on vinyl and really no press except on Myspace and one or two reviews. Donal Dineen started playing ‘Radio’ regularly and people started talking from there, so I have a lot to thank him for. He’s also hero of mine, so you can imagine. Disaster struck when you were recording the album. For those not in the know, do you want to tell them what happened? I left a fantastic music course in Cork, used the money to buy my first computer so I could start home recording. I recorded around 40 - 50 tracks, it got a bug after a year - an internet bug may I add, nothing to do with the recording software, so I asked the guy who built it for me to fix the small bug. He did so by simply wiping everything on the hard drive. So! Gone! Forever! Like I’ve said before, they were hazy days. I went through a lot of wine during that period. A lot of wine. What made you decide to only release Twelve on vinyl? I worked in record store for nearly 5 years. I saw how beat up CDs get. They’re so fragile but at the same time, sometimes so throwaway. I love vinyl - the smell, the way people look after them and look up to them and the sound of the needle if it gets a bit dusty is like morphine to me. So it was an easy decision. I’ve had to make up a few CDs though, as a lot of people have got on to me about it, so there'll be 200 made, but that’s it. You have collaborated with numerous artists over here, such as Ten Past Seven, David Kitt and Cars In Walls. Have you any plans to hook up with some Canadian artists? I'm going to be working with Milosh (an ambient electro producer). Dineen introduced us, which I was elated about. He makes beautiful music. I met so many great people over there, that I'm still in touch with and we all send tunes through e-mails to other and do bits and bobs for each other when we need it. If you had to pick one moment, what has been the best moment of your career to date? Hearing Radio being played on Small Hours for the first time.  What is your next step from here? Lock myself away with everyone for a while, write, record, play, travel and buy a Tenori-on. Garrett Cleland You can check out Katie Kim’s Myspace at www.myspace.com/dancekatiekimdance. More ... Garret Cleland Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:67 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/68/Official-Secrets-Act#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=68 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=68&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/68/Official-Secrets-Act An interview with Leeds-based Official Secrets Act Formed in 2006 in Leeds' Official Secrets Act are a new sharply dressed indie fourpiece. Combining the angular riffs of Franz Ferdinand with the synth-based melodies of the 80’s New Romantic era their new CD Understanding Electricity is out now.   The new album is out and you must be delighted with it. Was it an arduous process to record or was it quite easy and natural? The challenge with making a first album is whether you record the 12 best songs you've ever written as a band up until that point, or whether you select songs with the concept of an 'album' and some kind of consistency in mind. For us, with the recession kicking in and thoroughly disillusioned with the fruits of our education, we were determined to choose songs that we could use to combat our overwhelming scepticism, with romance and escapism. After that it was a question of pushing each song as far as it could go until it found its own place; somewhere that it was full and complete and capable of sailing away by itself.   We were bored of albums that were only consistent in terms of sound (more often than not a cynical attempt to cash in on some kind of Topshop endorsed fashion that is considered passé before the album is even released.) We wanted our album to be consistent in spirit and to be HONEST to our fans. Yes it was hard. We lost a lot of sleep and drank a lot of wine. But it was also one of the most exciting experiences of our lives.   The critical response to this album has been very positive. Is this something that is important to you or are you indifferent to it as long as the album sells? Of course we're happy that the album has had a positive critical response. Anything that creates an opportunity for us to connect with new fans is a happy moment for us. As long as we keep connecting with people, and they keep connecting with us we'll be happy. And this isn't an Orange commercial, this is a band in a van or a studio trying to create something honest and beautiful.   Could you give us a bit of background about the band? You originally started as a three piece in Leeds yes, and Michael was a late arrival? Leeds was the most exciting place to be in England in 2003 when we met there. The New Yorkshire scene was just finding its feet and everyone was in a band. We didn’t form OSA for a long time though. We were all playing in other bands and getting drunk at Blackwire gigs (and studying.) Sometimes people in music look down on us for having completed our degrees, as if we'd be far more interesting people if we hadn't read so much Shakespeare but had smoked more crack. Fuck that.   Anyway we formed a three piece and moved to London only to discover various forms of anger, disappointment, and disillusionment about what all our glorious education had been for. We knew that religion, politics and philosophy were fucked so we thought we might as well risk it all on popular culture.   We found a derelict flat above a bar in Manchester, quit our mind numbing jobs, rang Mike and asked if he wanted to join us and changed our lives. We played music 10 hours a day, cooked on a camp stove, slept on the floor, bought 7" singles from Piccadilly Records, drank free beer in the bar downstairs, watched Clash documentaries, went to parties at the Islington Mill and generally worked and played very hard.   Since then we've been a restless band. We don't like staying still. For all its brilliance London can be insular and self-satisfied with its scenes and cliques. We have broader horizons. We've just started touring in Europe and the wider our world gets the more our music makes sense.   The post punk reference has been brought up in relation to your music, acts such as Franz Ferdinand, The Futureheads. Does it annoy you that you are tagged with this term and would you prefer if people focused on the more disparate sounds of your album? I think people will when they hear it. It’s a shame if people only want to listen to the singles, because we've made an album full of depth and variation. I think if people see us live they'll understand what we are doing and be inspired to invest a little time in it.   Another influence I gleaned from listening to you was perhaps the synth music of the 1980‘s. Are you influenced by the new romantic era in terms of music and indeed style? I think I saw a picture of Thomas on the internet looking very similar to Adam Ant with face paint. Yes we love the ambition of the 80s synth bands. This decade started with bands like the Libertines and White Stripes making gloriously ragged recordings and that has been the dominant indie aesthetic ever since. But it’s been copied by bands in enormous studio’s with enormous budgets who lack the spirit to pull it off. We are on an indie label, we tour in an old transit, but we decided it would be far more imaginative and independent to put our efforts into making something that sounds full and beautiful.   One thing I love about the new album is the track Momentary Sanctuary where there are two lead singers. I love when a band has more than one singer as I feel listening to one voice for a whole album, no matter how good he or she is,(and Thomas has a very fine voice)can become slightly repetitive. Will there be more of a chance for Alexander or Lawrence or Michael to sing on future releases? Lawrence will assume all lead and backing vocal responsibilities as of 16:34, 7/6/2009.   How is Alexander coping after his accident? Has your faith in cycling being knocked(for want of a better word) by the incident or are you still as committed to it as ever? Have forwarded this question to Al... He’ll let you know! Alexander’s response: No, I still want to cycle. In London there's just no alternative for someone like me, for whom even getting around by bus is a bit too expensive. And it means I don't feel like I have to go to the gym. I fucking hate gyms. So I may be recovered fully some time before the end of the summer. Who knows?? I certainly don't.   What is your plan for the rest of the year and your hopes for the album? We’re about to finish our own UK tour (very excited about Irish dates!) and then we are going on tour with the Rakes in the UK. After that we are doing a European tour with Art Brut and some headline dates of our own in Germany and Holland. And of course there are the festivals: Great Escape, Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Belladrum (and plenty more) Our hopes for the album are simply that people will enjoy it and come to our shows. Music is a celebration. Dance, cry, shout, scream, whatever. Official Secrets Act is a world of its own and everyone is invited. Mark Townshend Official Secrets act play Roisin Dubh in Galway on April 16 and Academy 2 in Dublin on Saturday April 18 More ... Mark Townsend Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:68 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/69/John-Shelley-and-the-Creatures#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=69 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=69&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/69/John-Shelley-and-the-Creatures John Shelly and the Creatures are on the crest of a wave, garnering much momentum, having an Ireland- and UK-wide TV add use one of their fine tunes and having just sold out Whelans on the day of rest...surely its time for the masses to embrace Ireland's answer to Wilco...well? Sig Doherty catchs up with the 'Creatures mid-tour? How are you and where are you? Good thanks! Just sitting in a car on the way down to the Spirit Store in Dundalk munching on Percy Pigs. NITB using 'Long May You Reign' for its TV advert: how did this come about? (One of you guys give brochures out to Spanish and German backpackers one summer?) It all came about when we were contacted by Promotion Company Bruised Fruit who told us that the Advert Company were interested in using the track. Next thing we knew...we were on the telly! ..doesnt get much more interesting than that I’m afraid! With 2007's fine EP Big Day Out spawning first single 'Angeline' and now the success of 'Long May You Reign', when will we see the first, and it this stage, very highly anticipated long play? Well we are working on tracks at the moment. We don’t want to rush anything. We’re of the opinion that we would like to have time to gather together an album that we’d be completely happy with. At the moment we are just too busy to give that our full attention so we may be looking at the end of the summer to go into the studio. I’m sure there will be another single in the mean time though! What has inspired the album elect? We’ll tell you that come August. At the moment we are all listening to a lot of Fleet Foxes, Mogwai, Velvet Underground, Quasi and most recently a lot of Frank Sinatra. Wings has been on the stereo a lot too... they are only the band the Beatles could have been. :) With half the band from the north, and half from the south, how did JS and the C's evolve into what we see take the stage? We all met in Queens University studying Music Technology. Walter and Phil have known each other for years and had recorded a demo of a track called 'Blinded and Cross' (possibly our next single). We got talking to Kev our drummer one day and had a jam in a rehearsal space. Ger came along then after we heard one of his demos on Myspace which turned out to be 'Long May You Reign'. With your heads in a spin with the recent surge in interest, surely you're now seeing a few labels batting their eye lashes and showing a little leg? Or are you keen to keep on the DIY route? We have had some interest lately and have been talking to a few labels. Its all a bit strange at the moment with the current climate so noone really knows whats happening. We have a publishing deal with Big Life Music which is fantastic so we’ve seen a bit of side boob so far. With the success of other local acts like ASIWYFA shaking folk up, Therapy?, like a phoenix from the flames, releasing a new blinder, the likes of Fighting with Wire and Duke Special , the growth of the Glasgowbury Festival, these are exciting times for the local music scene....what is floating the 'Creatures boat music-wise at the moment? what is the last act you got really excited about? Will we just make a list? Ok.. The Good Fight, Panama Kings , ASIWYFA, Escape Act, Cashier NO.9.. the list could go on and on. The sheer volume of talent up here is astounding. I think if the music industry wasn’t in such bad shape all these bands would have been snapped up by now. With a 101 summer music festivals to choose from, will we be seeing John Shelly and the Creatures play at any? We really hope so! We are definitely aiming for it so watch this space! If any promoters out there want us to play please do get in touch! Many thanks men, and the very best of luck! John Shelly and the Creatures fine fine music can be enjoyed at the following locations, go slay: www.myspace.com/whywalter www.johnshellyandthecreatures.com John Shelly and the Creatures can be found causing beautiful chaos in the following locations 31 March 2009: Auntie Annies, Belfast 01 April 2009: Spirit Store, Dundalk 02 April 2009: The Limelight, Belfast 30 May 2009: Spring and Airbrake, Belfast 09 Jul 2009: Waterfront Hall (Trans Festival), Belfast   Sig Doherty More ...           Sig Doherty Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:69 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/70/Padraig-Rushe#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=70 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=70&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/70/Padraig-Rushe   Padraig Rushe, formerly of the Dublin Gospel Choir, has just released his debut album Greyworld on Loud Child Records. Currently touring Ireland with his band, his music features a broad array of influences with a soul/gospel flavour taking centre stage. Padraig talks to Cluas...   You've played some live dates recently, with your style so varied what kind of audiences have you been getting? It's been a brilliant mix so far of rockers, soul junkies and pop fans alike and all ages which is really great as an artist to see different people getting into the music.   Is it difficult to tour with a large band so early on in your solo career? No, after six years touring with the gospel choir touring with ten people feels like I'm traveling light and I've known everyone in the band so long, so its really fun!   You use the term "retro-soul" to describe your music.  What is retro-soul to you? I love the early soul records, where that raw, gritty gospel sound was still fresh and unrestricted. For this album I wanted to take a trip back through all the music I've loved and grown up with and try to drag the best bits back together.   Also you've cited the likes of Bill Withers and Luther Vandross as influences, but whats your opinion of todays soul and r'n'b? I think there's some amazing artists out at the moment like Laura Izibor, John Legend, The Script.. strip down their tracks and there are some amazing songs and lyrics underneath... That's not true of a lot of what's out there.    Finally, what next for Padraig Rushe? The second single comes out next month and I have some touring this Summer and then it's back to working on a new album I guess! I already have a tonne of ideas and things I want to try. It's all about taking risks and pushing myself as far as I can go, so we'll see how far that is!    Peter Teehan More ... Peter Teehan Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:70 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/71/Larry-Beau#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=71 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=71&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/71/Larry-Beau Larry Beau, or Declan Burke as he is known to some, is a singer/songwriter from Galway. A singular and unique talent on the Irish music scene he is a man of many guises. A wandering minstrel with baroque tendencies(if you will) Larry’s sound is a difficult one to pin down. It’s best to listen yourself and form your own definition. Tell us about the album. How long you worked on it? What snags you hit along the way, and how did you overcome them? Looking back now, is there anything you'd change? After about 5 different titles I finally settled for I Dream of Tiger Rose. The album is back from duplication now so it’s unlikely that I’ll fickle my way towards another name change. It took me a while to be satisfied with the final canvas but now I think I have an album that will age pretty well, something that I won’t drop-kick with shame 3 months down the line. I aimed for a music project that was old and new at the same time, a melody world that would chime away ignoring the loneliness of taste tantrums and fashion whims. Of course, that’s not for me to decide, but I can wish for it surely. I’ve been working on the album for the past 4 years. The normal restrictions and frustrations of a shoe –string budget, and sometimes none at all, were part and parcel of the project, but along the winding road the songs themselves got time to ripen and mature. Good friends, generous strangers and part time work kept the dimes dropping in the slot machine. I’d like to be building an album a year with a patron who trusts your vision. That’s as lofty and foolish a statement as you’ll get, but it’s a gentle dream nonetheless. I can’t change the length of my footsteps in my past but I’ll try to enjoy each step in the future. Time is sorely precious so its best keep your mind on the promise of a new dawn.   Do you still wince whenever you are referred to as a Goth? Is your image more consciously glam rock for the new album? I’m not so sure about the image thing. I try to present myself as a Minstrel. I could be dapper white today and a black- tooth gypsy tomorrow. Whatever catches your eye in a charity shop, or a fake oriental arcade. I’ll buy a hat for a tenner and spend a week decking it out with feathers and stolen diamonds. Someone might admire it after a little show and you give it to them. The next day you’ll find a new look, a different dream of glad-rag. Goth, glam rock, gypsy, beggar, bard. You have a lifetime to drag the skeleton though them all and come up with a few strange hybrids along the way, even if you do look like a walking circus.   There’s quite a baroque feeling to your music. Where did you derive the inspiration for this? Does your voice naturally lend itself to such a style of music? I could answer that easily if I knew exactly what baroque meant. I suppose the harpsichord suggests that era, but I would hope the music is not as stiff and regal as classical baroque. I’m a pop artist really. We are all thieves from the great composers of the past, whether we know it or not. We are watered down versions of the masters of composition. If Chopin rose from the grave he would laugh himself to madness at our dainty little attempts to express and induce emotion through melody. I’m happy enough with my own attempts, but I’d be scuttling away up a tree if the heavyweights ghosted a return. I can croon my way blindly around most melodies whether it’s suitable or not, so long as there is feeling.     If you don’t mind me saying so, your look on the video for 'Karma Blue' is very similar to Noel Fielding of the Mighty Boosh. So is it a case that you copied him or he copied you?   Karma Blue was shot in 2004, a few years before the Mighty Boosh, I think. I don’t watch TV, but I’m still vaguely familiar. It’s impossible not to be, in a visually claustrophobic society. I doubt their troupe of designers have ever seen Karma Blue, but they should have a look!   What was it like performing with the San Francisco Omni circus? How did it come about that you got to work for them and would you consider doing it again? It was a formative strangely exciting period. I was in San Francisco looking for a place to live. I brought my guitar to this back street theater shop and sang a few ditties to the robot ringmaster and his well heeled lover. They seemed to like it and soon I was performing in their show with just a long shirt, a pair of cowboy boots and feather in my cap. I slept under the chairs in the theatre loft, to the soundtrack of junkies and thieves. The theatre space was cluttered with the owner’s robots and apocalyptic paintings. There was also a gigantic black cat and an 18 year old miniature doggy called Irene trotting around the artistic junkyard. It was summer time, little money and the hope of something new. I met a musical saw-playing soprano called Cynthia Weyuker who performed with The Punk Rock Orchestra at the time. We kept in touch and did some shows together. She plays on the new album. I might go back for a few shows next year if they need a dandy minstrel.   Outside of your music do many people call you “Larry” or are you still referred to as Declan? If people are feeling frivolous I hear Larry. I have now become a little nervous when I hear my birth name. It’s probably a bank, tax or welfare official on the phone and you know that can’t be good. Suddenly there’s lots of crackling and hissing sounds on the line and a “can’t hear you very well, coverage is bad”, then nothing but the sound of sweet silence, except for a beating heart. Larry is best. It takes the nasty reality out of life.   Your music seems to be quite different from anything else on the Irish scene at the moment. Do you appreciate and derive any inspiration from any current Irish (or international) music or do you distance yourself from it? I walked into Road Records yesterday. There were oodles of Irish albums spread in front of me. I blushed like a ruby red apple. I recognized little to none. I’m completely out of touch. I listen to songwriting gems of a fading era. Cohen Waits, Dylan, Kate Bush. I was introduced to the mighty lungs of the late Odetta last year. Classical music is oxygen for the ears. Old Blues. Old folk.   What are your hopes for this album and your plans for the rest of the year? To sell it after shows, to flog it on the street to anyone willing to swap it for dimes and to get some reviews for the website. I hope not to see it in the bargain basket of a charity shop next month.. Some festivals, some high class busking around Europe and to find some diamonds in the gutter for the next album   Larry Beau’s new album I Dream of Tiger Rose is launched on the 21st of this month with a show in The Sugar Club in Dublin. Mark Townsend More ... Mark Townsend Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:71 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/72/Alias-Empire#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=72 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=72&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/72/Alias-Empire By now you’ve probably heard the news that Choice-nominated indie-electro merchants Dry County have changed their name to something more distinctive and less country-rock. Ahead of the band’s upcoming shows around Ireland, Alias Empire’s Kevin Littlewood tells CLUAS about recording the new album, getting the new name known and making music in the recession-plus-Internet era.   You're currently working on your second album. What can you tell us about writing and recording it so far? When (and how) do you expect to release it? Very soon after the 1st album was finished we were writing again. It's a constant process. The whole idea of making albums for us is that each one sums up a particular time and mood with obvious progression from the last. You need to always push yourself to make better records. Some bands find a formula and just stick to it, but I think we'd get very bored putting out the same stuff.   The new material we’re working on at the moment will be for an E.P. in the summer and the 2nd album towards the end of the year - that's the plan anyway, but you'd never know with us... 3 years making the 1st album, but when it’s right its right.   The new album will be a bigger, more aggressive album. This comes from playing live and seeing the 'Unexpected Falls' tracks become something different. People would come up to us and say, “I love the album but seeing you live is a totally different experience.” It's about trying to capture that feeling and putting it to record while still having the foundations of songwriting and melody.   We all have some form of recording set-up in our houses. We work on tracks then rent houses in the middle of the country and gut them out. It's great to just pack up and go away with the sole intention of recording – no distractions, no part-time jobs, just us in the middle of nowhere making music.   'Unexpected Falls' is being released in the UK this year so we plan to do a simultaneous release with the 2nd album. It will be distributed in the shops and available to buy from the website and i-Tunes. 'Unexpected Falls' gained a lot of praise and was nominated for the Choice prize. Does this put pressure on you when you're making the follow-up? We worked really hard on 'Unexpected Falls' and when you’re that close to something you just can’t see it anymore. It's like you can’t even hear the songs after spending so much time obsessing over them. So when the album came out and the reviews started coming in we really got a sense that people got it, that 3 years had been well spent getting it right. We don't think reviews are everything but it definitely helps you after putting so much in that people took the time to sit with your record.   I think from each new record we want progression: in sound, in songwriting and production. We would always put pressure on ourselves to do better. If you don't feel you can progress you should probably just stop and do something else. With a touch of revisionism, you've rechristened your past releases: 'Unexpected Falls' by Dry County has now become 'Unexpected Falls' by Alias Empire. This suggests continuity rather than a new departure. Is there any difference between Dry County and Alias Empire, other than no longer being perceived as a country-rock band? When we had decided to change the name we wanted to take a break, come up with a new name and new songs, but we were never thinking of ourselves as a new band. This is definitely just a continuity under a new name. The name change was more practical move than some kind of reinvention. Re-invention comes naturally to us and would have happened in the same way if we kept the old name. We are the kind of band that is always changing and developing our style and what we do, as we always stress we don't want to be one of those bands that just does the same thing again and again. Has the change of band name caused any problems with promotion, booking gigs, disgruntled fans? It's funny, because it was only when we announced we were changing the name that some of the fans were like “Aww, I actually really like that name” - even the ones who gave out about it! People hate change. As for bookings, it did cause a few problems. Some venues treat you like a new band and put you right back to the start. It's frustrating because we’re the same band and making the same music but they don't see it that way, for some reason. Very strange altogether. We've tried our best to let people know of the change and we have a tour coming up which is mainly to promote it. We figured it was best to do it now before the UK release of the album, so it was mainly just Ireland we had to convert. Your new name is similar to that of German industrial rocker Alec Empire, leader of Atari Teenage Riot. Coincidence or influence? We struggled very hard to find a name. So many things had to be considered. From a practical  point of view it had to be original, the dot com/MySpace etc. had to be available. There were also other aspects, like avoiding possible mistakes with the name (see Dry County) and a name that didn't draw any immediate associations with genre (see Dry County). The list was massive and we nearly went mad trying to find it.   The Alec Empire thing did occur to us but I think because he is a solo artist and we do different styles of music it shouldn't cause many problems. Myself and Derek [Cosgrave, Alien Empire bandmate] do like some of his stuff, though. What are your views on the business and operational side of making music? How are you getting on yourselves? I think it’s a difficult time for music at the moment. Obviously, with the recession, people are spending less on going to gigs and buying records. Also, the fact that the Internet and downloading has become so easy for even the basic Internet user means less and less physical copies are being sold, which in turn is putting labels and distributors out of business. The traditional idea of a record deal is dead. The Internet is a very powerful tool in music promotion. The likes of MySpace and Last FM are great ways of getting your music heard on a global level.   The problem is, like everything, it's pushed to the extreme. I really think that when people get albums for nothing they don't have the same appreciation for them. I personally like to have something to hold in my hands as opposed to a folder on my hard drive. There’s something quite cold about it. Even 10 years ago the excitement of going into a record shop and rooting through the shelves and finding something you'd been looking for. Now it's “I'll just download it”. I don’t know - I think there has to be a happy medium.   Bands like Radiohead and NIN can afford to go “Here, pay what you want for the album!” or “Have it for free!” because they know the limited edition of the release will still sell loads. Their profile is that big; most bands aren't in a position to do that. I do agree you have to give some stuff away. I don't think you should ignore what is going on. For the launch of the website we gave a free remix E.P. with artwork – it was a good way to announce to people the name change and new site. What are you listening to these days? Bat For Lashes, Songs Of Green Pheasant, Black Dog, Adebsi Shank, Wolf Parade, Deerhunter, Pantha Du Prince, Patrick Wolf, RSAG, Colder, The Fall, Harmonic 313, M.I.A., Si Schroeder, Saul Williams, Chromeo, Ladytron, Tiga, God Is An Astronaut… to name a few. Alias Empire are playing Crawdaddy in Dublin on 15 April; The Pavilion and de Barras in Cork on 23-24 April respectively; the Sibin festival in Dublin on 2 May; the Clarence in Sligo on 15 May; the Roisin Dubh in Galway on 16 May and Whelans in Dublin on 26 June 2009. For further live dates, new material and definitely no country-rock, head for www.myspace.com/aliasempireofficial and www.aliasempire.com.   Aidan Curran More ... Aidan Curran Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:72 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/73/The-Hedge-Schools#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=73 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=73&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/73/The-Hedge-Schools   Formerly the guitarist with the brilliant and much-missed Irish rockers Ten Speed Racer, Pat Barrett - working under the moniker of The Hedge Schools - quietly re-emerged last year with the release of his rather excellent and quite underrated debut solo album ‘Never Leave Anywhere’. Ken Fallon recently caught up with the Dublin-born musician to see what the current state-of-play is… ‘Never Leave Anywhere’ is one of the more quietly impressive Irish albums I’ve heard in the last few years. Could you tell us a little about how it came to fruition? Well, to be honest, even during the Ten Speed Racer days we were all writing and I’ve been writing for maybe ten years now, so the time seemed just right. Waiting for a free window in Joe’s (Chester, producer and former TSR bandmate) diary was also a key factor but I was really in the head-space on a personal level to sit down and start recording, so we did. What made you decide to release your music under the name ‘The Hedge Schools’? I just felt that putting it out under my own name would pigeonhole it with all the other singer-songwriters’ records and I just didn’t want that. No offence meant to anyone but if the singer-songwriters of this country were in one corner of a pub and bands of this country were in another corner, you’d more then likely find me standing at the bar. It’s given me the freedom also, from a live point of view, for it to be whatever I choose. It’s nice to have that freedom… One of my favourite Irish bands of the last ten years were your old band Ten Speed Racer but it all came to a very sudden and premature end. Could you tell us about the circumstances that led to the split? We just got tired - simple as. We’d made two bloody good albums and an EP and were always prepared to put the brakes on, so to speak. What are the chances of a reunion? None really. My two bros, Johnny and Dermot, who were in the band with me and Terri and Joe are both married and living abroad. Life goes on really and what would be the point? It’s not like we’d fill the O2 if we did reform. Ha! How did you find the transition from being part of a band to working as a solo artist? Certainly a lot more peaceful and a lot less stressful. Joe Chester produced the album. How was it working with your old band-mate? To set the record straight Joe Chester is a sonic genius .You just gotta look at what he’s done in the last five years really and he just gets better. I love the man and I love working with him and having him as a right-hand man, so to speak. What does 2009 hold in store? Do you have any plans to play some more live gigs or begin album number two? We’re hoping for festivals and some Whelans shows coming up with One Day International on 3rd April and also a support with Mundy in the same venue later in April some time. I will be cropping up doing solo supports during the year also but more about stuff like that on the ol’ Myspace page when it happens. What’s your take on the state of the music industry at the moment, especially in Ireland? Music publications and record shops seem to be disappearing almost on a weekly basis these days. Ah, to be honest it’s not just Ireland, it’s the whole industry as we know it basically needing to take a look at itself and re-invent itself. People don’t need record companies to make records anymore. They can do it at home and release them from home into the hemisphere. We will be at a loss of small record shops but I’m old–school - I still buy vinyl for God’s sake! What’s that about? Long live the independent record-shop where you can go and talk to passionate people about passion for the music. http://www.myspace.com/thehedgeschools Ken Fallon     More ... Ken Fallon Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/74/Dark-Room-Notes#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=74 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=74&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/74/Dark-Room-Notes Exploding on to the Irish music scene in 2007 with the infectious Love Like Nicotine, Dark Room Notes have become famous for their energetic live shows.  Here, Steve O'Rourke sits down with Ruairi Ferrie to talk about capturing that energy on record, the bands unique approach to recording and what the recession means for Irish bands. For those of us who cover Irish music it feels like Dark Room Notes have been around for ages now; how does it feel to finally release your debut album We Love You Dark Matter? For some of us in Dark Room Notes there is a similar feeling, but we also feel that it took a necessary amount of time to get all the conditions right to produce this album. It was only when we hooked up with the right people that it all came together. We had originally hoped to release it last year, but didn't consider it ready, so we did more work. Listening to it now, we feel that that decision has been justified. We've lived with these songs for a long time now, but we can each still sit down and listen to the album without being tired of them. We hope to get the opportunity to play them live so often that we can't stand them!   You took an interesting approach to recording the album in London last year, recording one song per day, how did that idea come about?  That's mostly down to Ciaran (Bradshaw). He felt (and he was right) that we needed to instill the energy from our live shows into the album. So we set up in the studio as closely as we could to our live setup, and played as live. We use quite a lot of programming, and we wanted to avoid the sterility that comes from playing along with machines. Ronan (lead vocalist) was in the control room with Ciaran, but the rest of us played in the same room. Some songs were recorded quite quickly, others spilled over into the following day. It was a real challenge for Ciaran, but a revelation for us. You looked to Ciaran Bradshaw to produce We Love You Dark Matter.  Ciaran, of course, worked on your earlier releases like 'Love Like Nicotine' and has worked with a number of up-and-coming Irish bands recently (Evil Harrisons, Subplots).  What does Ciaran bring to the DRN party that other producers might not? As we've worked with him since the beginning, as both a producer and as a live engineer, Ciaran knows our music as well as anyone in the band. We could have gone for someone with a higher profile or with more experience of electronic music, but the decision really made itself. His workrate and attention to detail are extraordinary, and he's not afraid to try new things. Despite his youth he has a tremendous amount of experience. He first entered the studio when he was 17, and I believe he has yet to leave!   Having been fortunate enough to listen to We Love You Dark Matter it does appear to be a more arresting and intelligent collection of songs than some of your electro contemporaries have released over the past couple of years.  Do you have a set writing process to achieve this or have your songs evolved organically over time? That's very kind. A lot of the songs on the album came from one of us working on our own and bringing a skeletal version to the rest of the band on a laptop or sequencer, and then hammering out the finished article in the rehearsal studio. But when we went into pre-production early last year the newer songs began to be conceived in the studio and develop with pretty much equal input from each member. We now have our own full-time rehearsal space, so this process is continuing with the songs for album No. 2.   What, to you, will make We Love You Dark Matter a success? If it puts us in a position where can continue doing what we're doing comfortably, and facilitates and encourages the recording of its follow-up, then it will have done its job. Obviously the more comfortable, the more facilities, and the more encouragement the better. And just like every other band, we want as many people as possible to hear our music.   Is the current popularity of electro-indie a help or a hindrance to band like Dark Room Notes?  What I mean is that it used to be every 18-15 year old with a guitar was in a band, now they all seem to be playing keys.  Does this make it harder to stand out? It's all a cycle, and we've been around long enough to know that these cycles are generally short and fickle. We had synths and beats in our band long before it was fashionable, and they'll remain there. It might help us in the short-term, but it doesn't really matter what instruments you have, it's the quality of the sounds you make.   Of the current crop of Irish music is there anything that is really catching your attention at the moment? Villagers blew me away when I saw them recently. They hit me with the same force as any of my favourite international bands that I've seen play live. I'm looking forward to hearing David Kitt's new album, and the Spilly Walker stuff - I'm interested in the direction that he's taking.   Irish music in general seems to struggle to make an impact overseas (for example, in the same way as Canadian or Swedish bands do) do you have any theories as to why this may be and what do DRN plan to do to break the trend? Canada may be an unfair comparison as they seem to have a support system for homegrown music that is head and shoulders above any other in the world. I feel that even in this day and age the fact that Ireland is an island, and still seen by some to be a musical province of Britain causes huge problems. In the same way that bands often skip Ireland on their European tours, often so does the attention of the music world. Having said that though, music should stand on its own merits, and not depend on, or blame, its country of origin.   How do you feel the recession will affect Irish bands in general and Dark Room Notes in particular? It could be that the recession will spark a golden age of Irish music. Myself and Ronan lost our jobs the day before we travelled to London to record We Love You Dark Matter, and haven't looked back! As more and more part-time musicians find themselves without gainful employment, they may turn to music to fill their days, and in the next few years we could have multitudinous great muscial projects spilling out of bedrooms and garages all over the country. That's my hope anyway.   Finally, what plans have you got to tour We Love You Dark Matter? We play The Academy 2 in Dublin on April  9th and then a short Irish tour in May (22 in Belfast, 23 in Galway, and 24 in Cork), and hope to follow this up on the festival circuit in the summer. Then, the world... Steven O'Rourke More ... Steven O'Rourke Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:74 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/75/Hooray-for-Humans#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=75 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=75&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/75/Hooray-for-Humans Hooray for Humans have been on the Irish scene for over two years and have just come back from playing a gig in Canada. Niamh Madden catches up with the four-piece and asks them about albums, Cork bands and New York. How did Hooray for Humans get together, and where did the name come from?   H4H started out about two and a half years ago. I was playing in a few other bands and wanted to do something different to what I'd been playing up until that point, so I just threw up a notice on a couple of forums like Thumped, MySpace and the like. It took a while but two friends of mine got in contact so we started jamming. Straight away we felt pretty good about what we were doing so we gave it a bit more time. They've since left the band (we're still friends though!) and there are now 4 people in H4H - myself, Jen, Lewis and Matt. The name comes from a song by a band called Q And Not U, who were one of my favourite bands and a huge influence on me and what I was listening to. I just thought it had a nice ring to it. You've covered Crayonsmith's song 'Anxious'. Are there any other Irish artists out there with a track you really admire and fancied covering?  Yeah, there are loads actually. When I've time I'd love to record covers of all our friends' bands. Specifically I'd love to have a go at a Giveamanakick song. I think it'd be fun to see how that turns out. You played CMJ in New York last year. What was the highlight?  The whole thing was amazing. I think in general the highlight was seeing so many amazing bands play... for free! We saw The Mae Shi and it was possibly the most fun I've ever had at a gig. As well as the gigs, I'd never been to New York before so just seeing it in real life was really amazing. Metro said that Hooray for Human's sound is like 'all your favourite bands playing at the same time.' What favourite bands of yours would you like to hear playing simultaneously?  Good question… I always think about fantasy bands in my head, where I take members of my favourite bands and imagine what it would sound like. There are a lot of musicians out there that I think, "If he worked with this guy, it would sound amazing." Ben from My Disco/Agents Of Abhorrence is an amazing guitarist, so he'd be in there. Dose One on vocals. On drums - maybe Brendan from Fugazi. And the guy from Zombi, making some nice bass/keys sounds. That potentially could be the weirdest band ever. How have you developed the second album? The album is all written and done. It wasn't really very exciting – I just sat in my bedroom and tinkered endlessly with synths and guitars and just wrote away there. It took probably eight or nine months to write the whole lot. I get kind of obsessive about these things. Once the songs were done I recorded demos at home to hear what worked. When can we expect to purchase a copy of the new album? The album is coming out in September or October this year. It's a long time between finishing writing it and actually getting it out there, but because writing it was kind of "intense" or whatever, I just left it sit for a while before coming back and listening to the demos again to see whether I still liked them. I generally leave things sit for months on end before having the confidence to let people hear them. What are you currently listening to?  Lots of things right now - The new Zombi album is great. I'm also really into the Loma Preita album; they're a hardcore band from America that are pretty amazing. The new Dalek album is absolutely incredible. It's the best thing they've done. I can't stop listening to it. The new Dan Deacon album too. Are there any new talented Cork-based bands CLUAS should keep an ear out for? To be honest, there tend to be very few bands from Cork that are my thing stylistically. I haven't seen a new band in a while so I'm not really an authority on the matter either. But I will say that Private Underground Residence are brilliant, even though they're not really new as such. Niamh Madden More ... Niamh Madden Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:75 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/76/Angel-Pier#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=76 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=76&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/76/Angel-Pier With an upcoming headline slot at Andrew's Lane Theatre, supported by A Lazarus Soul and Lines Drawing Circles, Irish indie newbies Angel Pier are causing a bit of a stir. How did Angel Pier come about? I had been writing & demoing on my own with mixed results & put the word out through a few friends that I was looking to put a band together. A chance meeting in Whelans one night between one of these friends & Mark, a drummer who was currently bandless set the wheels in motion. We met, exchanged music & talked about what our aims would be with this new band & began rehearsing. Around that same time I noticed a message on Garageband.com, a site I forgot I had ever signed up to, from a Canadian guitarist who was coming to Ireland & looking to play while he was here. Since it was 5 months since he sent the original message I figured chances were slim that he’d still be looking. He replied saying he was arriving the next week & he’d like to meet up. He played guitar, I played piano & we gelled pretty quickly. I knew Vinny through the very odd chat about music in the local & texted him to see if he’d like to try out with us. I think we got through 2 new songs the first night he was there. We’ve never told him if he passed the audition or not but he’s still coming to rehearsals… Who are your key inspirations, musically or otherwise? I’m sure it’s the same with most bands but our tastes are quite varied. Luke & Vinny would come more from a rock background & myself & Mark would be indie-heads. I think that’s what defines our sound though, the results are completely different to anything we’d do individually, the sum of the parts etc… Mark & I would share a love for bands like The Cure, Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine & The Stone Roses, though any influence on our sound would be subtle, while Luke’s tastes would range from the Beatles & Clapton through to contemporaries like Midlake & Interpol. Vinny would share tastes with all of us while leaning towards grunge… Songwriting-wise genre is not important as long as the songs are great, Nirvana, The Beach Boys, Radiohead, The Beatles, The Cure, Bowie. You gotta set the bar as high as possible & see how far you can jump!... What has been your best moment to date? Downstairs in Whelans January 31st 2009. We played our second Whelans headline & had Autoban & The Ambience Affair in tow. We’d been working on a ton of new material & showcased it live that night for the first time. The amazing crowd, the reaction to our new songs, the vibe, everything surpassed anything we’d previously done. You recently played your first shows outside Ireland when you did two shows over in England. How did that experience compare to your Irish shows? It was a little like starting over without the home crowd. We were playing smaller venues than back home but still have a following through the Irish in London & Myspace, Facebook etc… We went over basically to test the waters & were surprised by the great reactions we got. What is your opinion of the current music scene here in Ireland? Of your contemporaries, who would be your favourite? The Irish scene is extremely healthy at the moment in my opinion, there are great bands in lots of genres & sub genres though I guess it’s mostly indie. With acts like Fight Like Apes & Jape breaking through in the UK it paves the way for others to follow. It’s a psychological foot in the door so to speak. I’m a fan of lots of Irish bands, A Lazarus Soul, Lines Drawing Circles (we’re playing with both next Saturday March 7th in Andrews Lane Theatre… ahem), Fight Like Apes, Jape, Heathers, Villagers, R.S.A.G. but my own personal favourite would be the Ambience Affair. Just go listen & you’ll see why. Who do you think should win the Choice Music Orize? For me it would be between Fight Like Apes, Rarely Seen Above Ground & Jape. We’re all big fans of Jimmy Eadie so Jape would be the definite frontrunner. So far you've been getting good press from important publications like the NME, Hotpress and the Irish Times, but has there been much attention from the record labels? Would you like to sign to a major or stay independent? We’ve had very positive feedback from a number of labels but we’re demoing and rehearsing a ton of new material for our debut album before getting into that area. Indie or Major, as long as we love the label & they’re passionate about the music we make. We’re hoping to get to play the Great Escape Festival in Brighton in May, maybe we’ll get to play in front of a few labels then. What are the plans for the debut album? We’re writing & demoing like madmen at the moment to ensure a good choice of songs for the album. We’ll be releasing a digital single & limited edition 7” in May of this year to coincide with an Irish tour. We’re hoping to record the debut album this summer… What was your personal favourite record of 2008? Hmmm, well the most played records in my collection last year would have been Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, White Denim, Little Joy, Bon Iver, Yeasayer, In Rainbows (Radiohead) & TVOTR. It would have to be between In Rainbows & Yeasayer, it’s too hard to decide… The Oscars were on last night, and Penn took the gong for best actor, but who did you think deserved the award? I had to ask our guitarist about this one as I mostly live in a music only bubble. Luke reckoned Mickey Rourke should have got it… You can check out the band’s music on their myspace at http://www.myspace.com/angelpier Garret Cleland More ... Garret Cleland Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:76 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/77/Choice-Music-Prize-nominees-Halfset#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=77 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=77&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/77/Choice-Music-Prize-nominees-Halfset Halfset are without doubt one of the least known of the Choice Music Prize nominees: a brief mention here, a support slot there... But with Another Way of Being There, the band's second album, and their pretty exciting blend of electronics and an unabashed dedication to experimentation, they began their dogged ascent from background to foreground in earnest. They answered a few Choice questions for Cluas... Tell us about the album. How long you worked on it? What snags you hit along the way, and how you overcame them? Looking back now, is there anything you'd change? We always take our time with music. Another Way of Being There was released three years after our first album Dramanalog came out and we did work on it pretty consistently over that three-year period. Over forty ideas were brought to the table. These were worked down to seventeen and from these ten were chosen for the album. The benefit of taking that time to make it is that it’s just as we want it to be and looking back we wouldn’t change a thing. Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? The album received an amazing response, we thought some would like it more than others but overall it has been really well received. How do you feel about the idea of music awards in general? It can be a bit odd putting music into a competition as music is so subjective and can have such different effects on different listeners. However, from a business point of view it can draw attention to music that people may never otherwise get to hear. Do you think the idea of the album is a little antiquated in these days of single track downloading and plummeting CD sales? I still love the idea of an album as it is a combined body of work. You get an insight into what was going on for the period the music was written and if you invest time in a great record it will reward you many many times over, much more so than a one-off downloaded track in my opinion. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? I think there is always something musically good going on in Ireland. Like anywhere, you just have to invest a little time to find it. Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? There are plenty but Chequerboard, Jimmy Cake and Katie Kim all made great records last year. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? Jape Best gig you went to in 2008? Mount Eerie upstairs in Whelan’s and Lightspeed Champion at Oxegen Plans for 2009? Keep making music   Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:77 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/78/Choice-Music-Prize-nominee-Lisa-Hannigan#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=78 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=78&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/78/Choice-Music-Prize-nominee-Lisa-Hannigan With Sea Saw, Lisa Hannigan has finally broken her last ties with Damien Rice and established herself as an artist worth watching. Her nomination for the Choice Music Prize is unneeded proof of her acceptance by critics as well as the listening public. She took a few minutes off from her US tour to answer some questions for Cluas... Tell us about the album. How long you worked on it? What snags you hit along the way, and how you overcame them? Looking back now, is there anything you'd change? I was working on it for about a year before recording, writing and arranging the songs and then rehearsing them with the band. We recorded it in two weeks in march in the cauldron. There were no snags really, it just took a bit of time to find the right people to work with.  Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? Absolutely, although I tried not to read too many reviews the response at the gigs was brilliant. Hearing a song on the radio was great too. How do you feel about the idea of music awards in general? I don't know, it's a funny one. I'm just very happy to be in a list with Richie Egan! Do you think the idea of the album is a little antiquated in these days of single track downloading and plummeting CD sales? Not at all.. not for me anyway. I'm a big fan of album artwork too and you miss out on that if you download stuff. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? I think Ireland always has a healthy music scene as it's so ingrained on our culture. There's so many great venues to play around the country at the moment too. Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? Loads. In particular I liked One Day International's Blackbird and Fred's Go God Go. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? Jape's Ritual is an amazing record and Mick Flannery's White Lies is beautiful too. I like all the one's I've heard actually. Best gig you went to in 2008? It'd have to be Bon Iver's gig in Tripod which was incredible. Plans for 2009? Play more gigs, write more songs, finding my missing cat. Any recommendations for the coming year (music or otherwise) you have to offer Cluas readers? Keep an eye out for my cat!   Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:78 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/79/Choice-Music-Prize-nominee-Rarely-Seen-Above-Ground#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=79 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=79&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/79/Choice-Music-Prize-nominee-Rarely-Seen-Above-Ground Going from drummer to solo artist is an unusual career change, but as Organic Sampler proves, Jeremy Hickey has found his niche. A fresh focus on the groove rather than the details, without ever letting those slide, has led to Rarely Seen Above Ground nominated for this year’s Choice Music Prize. He answered a few questions for Cluas. Tell us about the album. How long you worked on it? What snags you hit along the way, and how you overcame them? Looking back now, is there anything you'd change? The double album in all took about 3 years. I recorded it back to back. The bonus disc first and then Organic Sampler. The only snag I hit along the way was when it came to recording drums. I recorded a lot of the drums in my home studio. The space was very small and it seemed to take a bit of time. Then I recorded all the drums again in a studio in Dublin in one day. I then had to choose which ones were the best takes not for sound quality but for suitability for the mood of songs. That was the only thing that caused some hassle, but it was a worthwhile experience in the end. I think all these things are. Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? Yeah, I was very happy and felt blessed with the response the album received.  How do you feel about the idea of music awards in general? I never liked competitions. I don’t like pressure you can’t have some control over. I do like the fact that with music awards there is a lot more awareness of not just what you are doing but seeing what’s out there right now, what/s fresh. Do you think the idea of the album is a little antiquated in these days of single track downloading and plummeting CD sales? Not really, in fact I think it makes bands and artists work harder at making an album, not as a concept album but as an album that tells a story and flows from start to finish. I believe if an album is constructed well people will want to buy it and hear from start to finish whether it’s on CD or download. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? I do think the Irish Music scene is in a healthy state at the moment. Especially for independent artists and bands. I don't feel we need these companies to get the music out there and heard.  Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? Jimmy Cake, Katie Kim to name a few. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? Jape's Ritual, Mick Flannery's White Lies and Messiah J and the Expert Best gig you went to in 2008? Seun Kuti in the Village. One of Fela's many sons. Full band including members of Fela's 1980's band. And I brought the right dancing shoes, me. Plans for 2009? I am currently working on the new album. Playing live is were its at for me so lots of touring in Ireland, Europe and the states.  Any recommendations for the coming year (music or otherwise) you have to offer Cluas readers? I'm excited about this old school rock n roll revival. Not just the rockabilly thing. But an awareness of the history. The song writing and the grooves. I think blending styles is what it's all about. A little bit of borrowing is always the way forward. Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:79 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/80/Choice-Music-Prize-nominees-Messiah-J-and-the-Expert#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=80 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=80&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/80/Choice-Music-Prize-nominees-Messiah-J-and-the-Expert Messiah J and the Expert's place in Irish music is almost unique. A rapper/producer duo that has found equal adoration among die-hard rockers and indie kids alike. 2008 seems to have been their year, and their album From the Word Go has been nominated for the Choice Music Prize. They answered a few questions for Cluas. Tell us about the album. How long you worked on it? What snags you hit along the way, and how you overcame them? Looking back now, is there anything you'd change? The Expert: First up, I wouldn't change a thing with this record as it's the best piece of work we've ever done. We definitely hit a few snags -  as I'm sure all bands do - but no major ones, just things we thought were going to work but didn't, so we had to adapt; like strings not working on a song etc. We worked on it for the bulk of 2 years and was definitely the most difficult album we've made so far. We spent an awful lot of time writing and writing, scrappping bits, rewriting until it was just right. We were much harsher on each other than ever before and I think that really worked to our advantage. The writing partnership was much closer than before with both of us chipping in with each others ideas a lot more. MJ: Exactly what he said. So proud of this record. Wouldn't change a thing except our bass player's nappy Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? The Expert:Yeah. We got our best reviews yet, and more importantly the general response from people is that they really like it. How do you feel about the idea of music awards in general? The Expert: I have mixed feelings. I suppose it depends on which awards ceremony it is, really. MJ: They can be a bit silly but I think ones which have serious people judging all types of music for what it is are credible. Do you think the idea of the album is a little antiquated in these days of single track downloading and plummeting CD sales? The Expert: I feel that the album format is still the most important music format that exists. There are a lot of people who can be lucky and write one good song but trying to write 10 or more that all fit perfectly side by side on an album in one listen is a real skill. You don't watch certain scenes from movies or read certain chapters in books so why should we do that with music. You need to digest the full thing to get the complete picture. MJ: I do my very best not to skip tracks on albums because they were all meant to be heard in a particular order.  At least that's my take on it. It's definitely not everyone's - I peer over people's shoulders on buses and watch them put on one song on their iPod, not even listen to it through, put on another and then repeat this process til they've heard lots of two minute sections of songs. I cant understand it really other than it's probably a good thumb workout. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? The Expert: I think its in the best state its probably ever been. You have loads of different bands making loads of different types of music and that’s just really exciting. Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award who you feel should have been? The Expert: No one will ever be completely happy I suppose, so it's a very difficult job nominating. I really liked a lot of the Crayonsmith White Wonder album. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? The Expert: Jape – Ritual. MJ: Same here Best gig you went to in 2008? The Expert: Bjork in the Waterfront by a country mile. Easily one of the best gigs I've ever seen MJ: Terry Callier at The Electric Picnic. Small tent, not many there...brilliant show. Plans for 2009? The Expert: A & B. Any recommendations for the coming year (music or otherwise) you have to offer Cluas readers? The Expert: Be nicer to grannies who cycle MJ: Consider where Mrs. Mangle from Neighbours is right now.   Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/81/Choice-Music-Prize-nominee-Jape#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=81 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=81&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/81/Choice-Music-Prize-nominee-Jape Richard Egan, a.k.a. Jape, has been a staple on this ol' "scene" of ours for quite a while now, producing record after record of quality, often disparate, material. This year sees the nomination of last year's Ritual album for the Choice Music Prize. He answered a few questions (with characteristically few words) on the album and nomination for Cluas. Tell us about the album. How long you worked on it? What snags you hit along the way, and how you overcame them? Looking back now, is there anything you'd change? The album is called Ritual. It took me three years to make. I can't really remember what snags I hit but they were nothing too hardcore, apart from the old crippling self doubt. I tried my best at the time, looking back...I try not to look back. Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? Yeah, I mean it's not something I would tend to dwell on too much, but the fact some people liked it means I can keep going on for another bit so that is just fine with me. How do you feel about the idea of music awards in general? I would put them in the same category as pornography, good to look at every now and again but you don't want to spend too much time in that world. Do you think the idea of the album is a little antiquated in these days of single track downloading and plummeting CD sales? I definitely do not think the album is an antiquated idea in these days of single track downloading. Sales don't have anything to do with a particular artists vision, and as long as there are people with attention spans to match, the album will remain a valid expression. Usually it takes a few tracks to get across the breadth of what you might want to say. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? I don't like the word, 'scene'. There are definitely some bands, songwriters, producers and DJs from ireland who are making good music in 2009. Way better than anytime I can remember really. Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? Katie Kim, Adebisi Shank, Spook of Thirteenth Lock, Jimmy Cake, Vinny Club, Crayonsmith... It's hard to say and I'm sure there are more I'm forgetting; there really was a lot of good Irish albums put out in 2008. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? I couldn't say, I pretty much like them all to be honest, the ones I have heard anyway. Best gig you went to in 2008? Ola Festival in Spain was cool. Villagers in dublin. We spent a lot of time touring around and saw a lot of great bands. 2008 will be remembered as the year of seeing bands. Plans for 2009? Write and record a new album. Any recommendations for the coming year (music or otherwise) you have to offer Cluas readers? Not really... I'm sure they know what the score is.  Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:81 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/82/Choice-Music-Prize-nominees-Oppenheimer#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=82 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=82&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/82/Choice-Music-Prize-nominees-Oppenheimer Oppenheimer are possibly one of the best natured and refreshingly enthusiastic bands in Ireland at the moment. The Belfast-based electro-pop duo's second album Take the Whole Mid-Range and Boost It, an infinitely fun piece of work, has brought them not only a Choice Music Prize nomination but deserved recognition in this Dublin-oriented music scene. They answered a few questions for Cluas. Tell us about the album. How long you worked on it? What snags you hit along the way, and how you overcame them? Looking back now, is there anything you'd change? We recorded the album over the course of about four months, mostly in the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast. We moved into the shell of the studio in June and spent two and half months pushing drums around this huge building and turning everything up really loud. The Oh Yeah project was just getting off it's feet so we basically had the run of the building, we could record anywhere, in bathrooms, elevators, stairwells. We recorded as many different sounds as we possibly could, while layering as much as possible. We had some friends play guitar, bass, violins, brass and also sing on the album over that summer. It was nice to expand on the sounds by involving other people, some of those relationships have developed really well, as we're now frequently expanding to a four piece live with amazing finger tapping guitars and extra synths and vocals. We also recorded some drums and pianos in New Jersey while on tour and we finished the album up by recording vocals and mixing the last song in Portland, Oregon at the start of a three month tour. It's without a doubt the most rewarding, exciting and fulfilling thing we've ever done, every single day we'd think of something ridiculous to try and then we'd do it! We only hit one snag, recording a tricky vocoder part, it was five in the morning, Shaun was asleep on two office chairs and I finally managed to get it down. Those tears have been mostly forgotten. I do remember franticly still mixing the second last track at 4a.m. when Shaun knocked on my door to go to the airport to start that three month tour, it was a close call! Award nominations aside, were you happy with the response the album received? We're both really happy that a lot of people really appreciated how hard we worked on expanding our ideas and sounds. To be honest though, this nomination has come at a time when we've been feeling pretty bad about a lot of what being in a band is all about. We had a terrible time around the album release, car crashes and nearly bankrupting ourselves through tours. Our label was really disappointed with sales and press and I'm not sure what else, this had a huge knock-on effect on our enthusiasm and confidence both in ourselves and what we were doing with our ideas and shows and attitude to music. Somewhere recently we realised that we both need to be really happy in order to make the band work, so we've taken the steps to be happy and we've come back to the band with an unrivalled sense of excitement and joy. Truly though this nomination was a really big confidence boost, it's been the first word of praise we've heard for Take The Whole Midrange... in I don't know how long! How do you feel about the idea of music awards in general? They can be so wide ranging it's hard to say. I think generally acknowledging music that means something to people is a good thing, be it an award nomination or a person from Salt Lake City, Utah telling you that your songs helped them through a really tough time, it's nice to know that someones listening. Do you think the idea of the album is a little antiquated in these days of single track downloading and plummeting CD sales? Not really, not to me. I think it makes it easier for people who otherwise never would buy any music to get the songs they like. Kids listen to i-pods all day, so people are listening to more music than ever. It may be in a different way, but I think there's still more people than ever who love the art of listening to an album from start to finish, through a good pair of speakers or headphones. I think generally the people who complain about it should instead be doing what they claim to love, making albums, listening to albums, releasing albums and helping people create music that means something to them. Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment? I can only really speak for Northern Ireland, but I think it's better than ever. There are so many exciting bands and great songwriters around and we're for the most part all helping each other out up here. Bands like In Case Of Fire, Fighting With Wire, And So I Watch You From Afar, Tom McShane, General Fiasco, Cutaways,  Panama Kings and Mojo Fury to name but a few are all out on tour, recording albums, doing their thing and helping each other out. There are a bunch of bands from all over Ireland that I love who are making exciting and interesting music like Fight Like Apes, The Dudley Corporation, Ham Sandwich and Adebisi Shank. Any artists who weren't nominated for the Choice Award, who you feel should have been? Fighting With Wire, Ham Sandwich. Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize? It is Fight Like Apes. From the moment I heard a scratchy demo of Jake Summers on myspace I loved them! It's been amazing watching them grow into the monster that they now are and a joy to hear their amazing record. Getting to play shows with them is always a pleasure too. I had them play at my wedding reception last month, it was beautiful watching them destroy a venue while our families looked on, half in horror, half in joy. Best gig you went to in 2008? Headlights in Belfast. Genghis Tron in Belfast. They Might Be Giants on our last night of tour with them in Florida was pretty special too! Plans for 2009? We're recording a new album, which we'll take out on tour and then complete after the summer. We're heading off to America for our tenth tour, this time with OK Go. All we're hoping for is to record loads of music, make fun videos and play shows that are fun. Any recommendations for the coming year (music or otherwise) you have to offer Cluas readers? I just got back from two weeks in Iceland. I was there on honeymoon - If you haven't been, you should go! You'll find loads of music there too, it's amazing that they sell albums in their tourist shops that you'll struggle to find in the coolest indie record shops in London or New York. Ireland should catch on! Musically, if you haven't heard Edgar "Jones" Jones, Mates Of State, The Bronx, Headlights, Cursive, DJ Scotch Egg, It's A Musical, Matt Pond PA or David & The Citizens go find them and you'll hear so many good songs this year!   Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:82 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/83/White-Denim#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=83 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=83&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/83/White-Denim White Denim are a three-piece band hailing from Austin, Texas. Formed in early 2006, they specialize in tornado-belt rock & roll with a manic cut & paste energy. They released their first LP Workout Holiday last summer on this side of the Atlantic. Lead singer/guitarist James Petralli talks with Cluas.... You recently released 'Exposion' in the US, but you made the unusual step of releasing an LP ('Workout Holiday') in Europe a few months before. Was this to test the waters before a proper release or was it to tailor each album for a particular audience? At the time of the workout holiday release in Europe we really did not have that much going on in the States. We had toured the country for about four months but still had not generated any significant label interest. We just continued working on songs in Josh Block's studio when we were off from touring, and decided to add some newer material to the U.S. record. We thought it would be kind of fun to have different records out simultaneously. We did not really intend to confuse; we had just been touring much of the 'Workout Holiday' record for months in the States, and wanted to release some new songs. I noticed too that you've remixed and altered some of the songs for 'Exposion', did playing the songs live change your outlook on them or do you simply like to tinker with songs while you have the chance? Josh, who plays drums and records the band, has the uncanny ability to hear possibility in old recordings of the group.  He spent some time rearranging parts and shaping the music in different ways, and we thought it would be worthwhile to share the results with our audience.   The music uses alot of loops and overdubs (to great affect) but has playing live in the past year changed your approach to recording? Yes, the last year of playing out has helped us grow tremendously. We are more proficient on our instruments individually and more confident as a trio. We captured many more live takes for this new record, but the studio does not have a live room. Most of the time I have to try to lay a live guitar track to a metronome before anything else gets recorded. Sometimes I am successful, other times I am not. it can be a bit daunting over the first few attempts when the accompaniments are grandiose and imaginary. Many parts are composites that we learn and perform live in the studio, but we are still incorporating some looped sound.  I got my first guitar around the time i got my first phrase sampler.  Delay and looping will probably always be a huge part of my playing.   A question about songwriting - your songs are pretty formless in the traditional sense, I think its one of the most distinct things about the band, but as you develop your songwriting do you find yourself gravitating more towards traditional verse/chorus structures? The idea of connecting seemingly dissimilar parts has always been an appealing one to us as a group. We all enjoy unconventional structures in music, but that music seems very natural to us now having listened to it from an early age. We are constantly surprised that we are now a pop group, though i couldn't see us ever having more than a couple choruses in a tune. I guess we are more of an impression of a pop group really.   Do you feel any pressure as a band to write more structured songs, to try and appeal to a bigger  audience, get on the radio etc... ? We want to make records that stand a chance at lasting longer than just a few years. We hope that the music makes a significant connection with loads of people, but over time. I feel that we still have a lot to learn about ourselves and people before we write a tune as powerful as "As" by Stevie Wonder. We certainly want people to like our music but we want to remain who/what we are.   Finally, what next for White Denim? We should have a new record out soon. We are working on a supplemental body of material for that presently. Hopefully playing more and living. Interview by Peter Teehan More ... Peter Teehan Sun, 25 Jan 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:83 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/84/Conor-OBrien-of-Villagers#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=84 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=84&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/84/Conor-OBrien-of-Villagers Depending on where and when you came in to the Irish music scene, Conor O'Brien will be known to you either as part of the much-lamented The Immediate, the guitarist in Cathy Davey's touring band, or the lead man in his new project, the folky but smoky Villagers. Simon Doherty fired a few questions across cyberspace at him ahead of the Villagers upcoming EP. How are you sir? I'm ok, visiting my folks this evening, typing the answers to this interview on my mother's kitchen table. Headphones on. Slightly disconnected. The new tunes sound great, what are the plans for releasing an EP or album? Thank you. We're releasing an EP in February, 500 copies only, mainly to sell at shows, but we might put them in some shops if we don't get too lazy. There's more than enough material for an album, so I'm sure it'll slip out at some stage this year! Any murmurings from labels? Is signing for a major even in the masterplan or are you gonna go down the DIY route that so many other Irish bands /artists are now doing? Jeez I don't know... I find it tough answering questions like that, I find it hard enough planning my day. At the moment all I'm thinking about is this little stop-motion video I'm making, and worrying that it may be eating into songwriting time. My god it's taking a long time. In Towers and Clouds, one of my favourite ever albums, is quite a quality benchmark.....you must be so proud being a part of that album? Yes I'm very proud of being part of it. Personally, I can't listen to it, but I am proud of it. Are you still in contact with David, Peter and Barra [of The Immediate]? Is the pope partial to a warm glass of milk each night before he lays his hateful head on his silken pillow? Favourite gig of 2008? Hmm.. I didn't get much of a chance to actually see many gigs, but the one that had most of an effect on me was Bonnie 'Prince' Billie in Vicar Street. I think it was part of a festival... sorry, the name escapes me. Was it a Foggy Notions thing? Anyway, it was really great. Favourite album of 2008? Shit I can't think of any 2008 albums at the moment... the first album that popped into my head was 'Night Falls Over Kortedala' by Jens Lekman, but I've just done a wikipedia and it was released in October '07 - is that close enough? I love it because it makes you laugh until your belly hurts, and then he hits you with his particular brand of raw emotion while your defences are down. I think 'Postcard to Nina' is the best example of this. I actually hated it when I heard it first, but it stayed in my head, begging for a 2nd chance. "Please Conor", it whined, "please listen again.. I won't dissappoint you". And it was true to its word. How have you found working / touring with Cathy Davey? It's been a very purple experience. Cathy is a very gifted person. To say that it is an honour to join her and her fellow bandmates onstage each night is most definitely an understatement. Is there any irish band / artist you would like to collaborate with? I don't really like the idea of collaboration anymore - I'm quite aware that I'm progressing quite nicely with this writing business on my own. I think I'd like to keep it like that, at least for the next week or so. Interview by Sig Doherty More ... Sig Doherty Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:84 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/85/Pony-Club#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=85 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=85&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/85/Pony-Club Despite the fact that nearly every Irish music lover knows their name, and probably has a copy of a Pony Club record lying around somewhere, this band have remained sadly in the background of the Irish music scene. Yet with a brand new album just released, Pony Club are ready to inch that little bit further toward fame. CLUAS writer Alan Morrissey caught up with Mark Cullen from the band. Are you happy with how Post Romantic turned out? I think so, I'm terrible in the studio, I'm always trying to change things up to the very last minute, it usually drives the producer and engineer mad, and I always record more songs than I need just in case I don't like how something turns out. I only ever listen to the final mix and then I never play the record again, probably because small things grate on me, things that nobody else can hear. So yeah I'm thrilled with it, I think . You started the album back in 2006 but a number of things, including your wife being ill, mean the record is only seeing the light of day now- was this lengthy gestation period a source of frustration for you? It started out as being very frustrating but the more ill my wife became the less I cared. She contracted a virus called Guillane barre syndrome and steadily became paralysed so i had to look after the kids, it put everything in perspective for me, music came way down the list.  When you started out in Bawl you probably thought the world was your oyster. By the time you had recorded an album as Fixed Stars that didn't see the light of day had your spirit been broken? Or did these experiences just give you a healthy mistrust of the music business? We had a great time in the intervening years, I'm not bitter in any way. It would have been nice to have success early on but I think I wasn't strong enough as a person to deal with record companies. They let you make the record that they want you to make, if it doesn't sound right to them, i.e. if they can't hear three singles, they just get another producer or get it remixed by someone fabulous and current. I was totally in awe of the whole business especially when we moved to London. We were very young and naive and we hung around with some people who should have looked after us more but I had some incredible memories and experiences, which is all that really matters; it's just a shame that it had to come to an end but we were so much in debt to Mercury and Universal that we would have to have outsold Enya to break even.  Why do you think so many quality Irish acts from that period (Whipping Boy, yourselves, A House, Kerbdog etc) never got the recognition or success they deserved? We were' nut British, and we didn't want it enough, we didn't practice hard enough and we weren't good enough.                When you came back to Dublin after seven years in London to record Home Truths were you treating Pony Club as a full time concern? Or with a wife and kids were you always viewing it as a vehicle to just have fun and if anything else came your way it was a bonus? No, I had just signed to Setanta and I still had a publishing deal with Chrysalis, but for the first time in my life I was left alone to make a record. You could never make a record like Home Truths on a major. Writing music for me is not fun, it takes a lot out of me. Playgrounds are fun though, I don't think I've ever grown up. Was living in your parents' house in Finglas when you came back to Dublin a humbling experience, or a valuable learning curve for you?  A learning curve in how to dissolve your marriage in three easy stages, it was an absolute fucking nightmare. Finglas hadn't changed much, still extremely exposed to the elements. You have been called in some quarters "one of the great Irish songwriters of the past decade". Do you think there's anything particularly Irish about your music, and if so, what exactly? I am very flattered by that, I have always tried to retain my accent when singing, that was always extremely important to me. Maybe if i had an american twang like Bono I would have done better perhaps, but I come from a suburb in Dublin that's basically like any other suburb in the UK – or any other european city for that matter – so the topics are parochial yet universal I hope. Even Cannes has a Dorset street.            You seem to constantly get critical acclaim- is there ever a stage when you just think "I just want bloody success, to hell with the acclaim!" Christ yeah. It's not easy always being the poor relation with a bag full of newspaper clippings, but unfortunately I'm more interested in writing a song like Ave Maria than Are we Human. I also have an extravagant taste in cars: I have my 16 berth car garage all planned out, I'd be worse than Chris de Burgh. People rate you as an excellent lyricist, up there with Morrissey, who is one of your big influences. Is there an exact science in relation to how you work- words before music or vice versa?  The music nearly always comes first, It's funny though, I never really liked Morrissey that much I was always more in to Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe. Reaction to Post Romantic has been extremely positive- do you pay much attention to any of it, or is it dangerous for your ego?! No, I always read the reviews, sure that's all I've got. It's hardly like i'm selling any records... What's next for Pony Club- will there be a full tour and promotional work to back the new release? I wasn't expecting to do anything but the reaction to the record has been so good all over the place that the pony will be riding into a town near you, probably in Feb/March – and maybe even a spot on the Late Late. Interview by Alan Morissey More ... Alan Morrissey Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:85